tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80776450822999494442016-10-17T05:17:06.724-04:00Experiments in Mangamanga reviews, Japanese literature, and related items of interestAshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comBlogger575125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-55272274684146538582013-08-23T08:03:00.000-04:002013-08-23T09:40:19.798-04:00Experiments in Manga at Manga BookshelfExperiments in Manga has joined <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/">Manga Bookshelf</a>! The site will no longer be updating at Blogger, so if you have bookmarks in place you may want to update them to <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/">http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/</a>. Although I won't be removing the old site, all of the content and comments have been moved to the new one. I'm hoping to make the transition as smooth as possible but I still have a bit of tidying up to do. I've tried my best to get everything to redirect properly, but if you notice anything missing or strange please do <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/contact/">let me know</a>. Thanks for your help and thanks for sticking with me! And now:<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>A huge welcome to new readers of Experiments in Manga and an even bigger thank you returning readers! </i></b></span><br /><br />My name is Ash Brown. I'm a musician by training, a librarian by profession, a blogger by choice, and a manga addict by nature. My interest in Japan and Japanese culture actually extends far beyond manga and includes other literature, art, music, language, food, and probably anything else you can imagine. I practice traditional Okinawan karate-do (specifically Shōrin-ryū and Shūdōkan) as well as kobujutsu. I also happen to be a member of a taiko ensemble. Oh, and I love riichi mahjong. I'm pretty bad at it, though.<br /><br />My day job has absolutely nothing to do with manga (although once I did catalog a collection of underground and independent comics; that was pretty cool.) Experiments in Manga is a personal site that I write and maintain entirely in my free time. I would actually like to write more than I do, but unfortunately that free time is very limited. Besides, I like to spend some of my waking hours actually reading, too.<br /><br />I started Experiments in Manga in 2010 (mostly for myself) as a way to interact with the manga blogging community to a greater extent and to help keep track of all the manga that I read. And I read <i>a lot</i> of manga. Depending on who you ask I either have a very eclectic taste or no taste at all. I'm extremely open-minded and difficult to offend. I read and enjoy manga from just about every genre and aimed at any demographic or audience.<br /><br />What can you expect from Experiments in Manga? Typically, I release three or four posts a week, including the weekly <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/category/my-week-in-manga/">My Week in Manga</a> feature. I also write <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/category/reviews/">in-depth reviews</a>, among other things. Not surprisingly, the primary focus of Experiment in Manga is on manga but I also cover Japanese literature and write about tangentially related subjects and other things that interest me as well. I currently hold a <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/category/giveaways/">monthly manga giveaway</a> which allows me to quite literally share my love of manga. It also gives me an excuse to make <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.mangabookshelf.com/category/giveaways/lists/">lists</a>. I love lists.<br /><br />I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Manga Bookshelf Battle Robot. I've been a devoted reader of Manga Bookshelf since I discovered the site and some of my most admired manga bloggers are associated with the group. I consider it a great honor to be invited to join. I'm truly looking forward to working with everyone at Manga Bookshelf and hope that readers (new and old) will find Experiments in Manga at least occasionally interesting or useful!Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-45061721047030826332013-08-21T08:53:00.000-04:002013-08-21T08:53:44.694-04:00Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9784805311936" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m1TJFChlFeA/UhQSyp9da8I/AAAAAAAAFZo/-nxkNQNC6_I/s200/JapaneseTalesMysteryImagination.jpg" width="128" /></a><b>Author: Edogawa Ranpo</b><br />Translator: James B. Harris<br />U.S. publisher: Tuttle<br />ISBN: 9784805311936<br />Released: May 2012<br />Original release: 1924-1950<br /><br />After reading and enjoying Edogawa Ranpo's novella <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/03/strange-tale-of-panorama-island.html"><i>Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a> I decided to seek out more of his work. What better way to start than with Ranpo's debut in English? <i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i>, translated by James B. Harris and first published in 1956, was reissued in 2012 by Tuttle Publishing with an additional and quite useful foreword by Patricia Welch putting the collection and Ranpo into historical and literary context. Despite Ranpo's prolificacy, influence, and popularity in Japan, relatively few volumes of his work are available in English although his short stories can often be found in anthologies. In addition to being Ranpo's introduction to English-reading audiences, <i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i> is particularly interesting in that Ranpo worked very closely with Harrison on its translation.<br /><br /><i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i> collects nine of Ranpo's short stories selected to represent some of his best work. Eight of the nine stories were originally written in the 1920s. The collection opens with what is perhaps Ranpo's most well-known story "The Human Chair." (At least, it was the story with which I was most familiar before reading the volume.) Next is "The Psychological Test" which features Ranpo's famous detective Kogorō Akechi. "The Caterpillar" is another story I was previously aware of and for a time was even banned in Japan. The collection continues with "The Cliff." Written in 1950, it is the most recent example of Ranpo's work in the volume. Other tales of mystery include "The Twins," "The Red Chamber," and "Two Crippled Men" while other tales of imagination include "The Hell of Mirrors" and "The Traveler with the Pasted Rag Picture." Though, as Welch points out in the foreword, Ranpo frequently blurs the lines of genre and many of the stories have significant crossover.<br /><br />Ranpo is an incredibly clever and imaginative writer. Even when working with similar themes and plot elements, each story in <i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i> exhibits Ranpo's creativity in narrative technique and structure and he throws in enough plot twists that they all feel fresh. Each story is a little peculiar and each story is vaguely disconcerting--the erotic and the grotesque and macabre are no strangers to Ranpo's work--but in the end the tales are all different from one another. The culprits of his crimes stories are often undone by their arrogance, belief in their infallibility, or on occasion their guilty consciences, but the paths to their downfalls vary. Ranpo's more fantastic tales rely on subtle and not so subtle horror, but their thrills and terrors are all distinctive.<br /><br /><i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i> is a captivating collection of short stories and would make a fine introduction to Ranpo's work for the uninitiated. If I had to choose, I think that I personally prefer <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/03/strange-tale-of-panorama-island.html"><i>Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a> and its outrageousness slightly more, but the selections in <i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i> show evidence of the elements in the novella that I particularly enjoyed: the tight plotting, the light style of narration with slight touches of humor, the unexpected turns in the story, the inherent strangeness of the characters and their accounts. <i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i> has stood the test of time well. Nearly fifty years after it was first released, and more than a half-century since the stories were originally written, the volume remains an intriguing and engaging collection. Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-22858344755831547512013-08-19T10:02:00.001-04:002013-08-20T14:45:25.677-04:00My Week in Manga: August 12-August 18, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />Two reviews, and some big news! First up was my review of <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/blade-of-immortal-volume-24-massacre.html"><i>Blade of the Immortal, Volume 24: Massacre</i></a> by Hiroaki Samura. As you might suspect from the title, it's a rather bloody volume. It also features what I think is one of the best visually executed battles in the series. I also reviewed Yukio Mishima's novel <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/forbidden-colors.html"><i>Forbidden Colors</i></a> which is a bit twisted but extremely engrossing and very good. Like his earlier novel <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/10/confessions-of-mask.html"><i>Confessions of a Mask</i></a>, it deals with homosexual themes and includes autobiographical elements.<br /><br />As for the big news! Over the weekend Experiments in Manga <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/random-musings-three-years-of.html">celebrated it's third anniversary</a> and I wrote quite a lengthy post about it. If you don't feel like reading the whole thing, here's the really important bit: I am delighted to announce that in the very near future Experiments in Manga will be joining the <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/">Manga Bookshelf</a> network of blogs!<br /><br />I was traveling quite a bit last week (a couple of my friends were getting married), so I'm a little out of touch when it comes to some of the most recent manga news. However, there is one thing that I want to be sure to pass along. I personally don't read much manga digitally, but Organization of Anti-Social Geniuses has a fantastic post looking at all the <a href="http://organizationasg.kokidokom.net/2013/08/13/this-is-how-you-can-read-manga-legally-in-2013/">legal ways to read digital manga in 2013</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780985159566" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vbzKxzTWHQ/UgekszPnM6I/AAAAAAAAFW4/TP3_gAVrapk/s200/LastMohicans.jpg" width="136" /></a><a href="http://www.pictureboxinc.com/products/1175-last-of-the-mohicans"><i>The Last of the Mohicans</i></a> by Shigeru Sugiura. <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> is the first volume in editor Ryan Holmberg's <i>Ten-Cent Manga</i> series, exploring classic manga influenced by popular culture and comics from the United States. In addition to the manga itself, the volume also includes an article by Sugiura and an extensive essay by Holmberg which puts <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> into context. For me, this was probably the greatest appeal of the volume. I more or less enjoyed the manga, but I valued to an even greater extent learning about its history and Sugiura's influences. I don't know that <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> will necessarily entice casual manga readers, but for those interested in comics history it's great.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780983951346" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8cTKX_nhcds/UgelRHylHEI/AAAAAAAAFXA/vebbC5GbI6I/s200/MathGirlsManga1.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://bentobooks.wpengine.com/publications/math-girls-manga/"><i>Math Girls Manga, Volume 1</i></a> written by Hiroshi Yuki and illustrated by Mika Hisaka. Based on the <i>Math Girls</i> series of novels, the manga focuses a little more on the romance and a little less on the math, but it still can teach a thing or two about it. Unfortunately, errors slipped into the English edition and some of the mathematical symbols are missing. Seeing as <i>Math Girls</i> is about, well, <i>math</i>, this is somewhat problematic. But if you can ignore that, <i>Math Girls</i> is a rather delightful and charming manga. Math lovers in particular will appreciate it, but as with the novels it's possible to skip over the math-intensive sections and just enjoy the story. I wouldn't mind seeing more of the <i>Math Girls</i> manga, but I suspect there won't be another volume released anytime soon.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781598832426" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S-5upi6erjA/Ugel4JEPizI/AAAAAAAAFXM/AZmkjKjzv9M/s200/StrawberryChan1.jpg" width="140" /></a><b><i>Strawberry Chan</i></b>, Volumes 1-2 by Ai Morinaga. I picked up Morinaga's <i>Strawberry Chan</i> manga on a whim. The series consists of two volumes, <i>The Gorgeous</i><i> Life of Strawberry Chan</i> and <i>The Super Cool Life of Strawberry Chan</i>. The manga is fairly episodic and each chapter is very short. The titular Strawberry Chan is a small pet frog owned by Taro Akiyoshi, a sadistic high school student who delights in tormenting him. Despite his cruelty, Strawberry Chan adores his master. And then there's Taro's roommate who's legitimately in love with Strawberry Chan and a masochistic classmate who just wants Taro to abuse him instead of the frog. <i>Strawberry Chan</i> is utterly ridiculous, random, and all sorts of wrong. I loved it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781421543468" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AIuNDvaiYww/Ufm1wq7CmoI/AAAAAAAAFVY/LXlXMGxBlvY/s200/ThreeWolvesMountain.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="https://www.sublimemanga.com/reader/573"><i>Three Wolves Mountain</i></a> by Bohra Naono. So far, only two of Naono's manga have been released in English. <i>Yokai's Hunger</i> largely frustrated me but I thoroughly enjoyed <i>Three Wolves Mountain</i>; it's easily my favorite manga out of the two. It's an odd mix of comedy, drama, and the supernatural, but Naono makes it work this time. Kaya Susugi is a cafe owner by day and a grave keeper by night who ends up taking in Tarou and Jiro Tsukihara, two werewolf brothers. Susugi is used to being alone but becomes very close with both of the brothers, but especially with Jiro who has fallen in love with him. I wasn't expecting <i>Three Wolves Mountain</i> to become such a family affair, but parents, siblings, and even cousins all have their role to play in the story. <i>Three Wolves Mountain</i> is great stuff.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-6107511020877117842013-08-18T09:27:00.000-04:002013-08-22T10:00:04.574-04:00Random Musings: Three Years of Experiments in MangaThree years? Three years?! Three years ago today I began writing at Experiments in Manga in an attempt to share my love of manga and Japanese literature. Well, to be perfectly honest I started the blog for myself, but I am delighted that other people have on occasion found it to be helpful and interesting. It's been a lot of work and I certainly have plenty of room for improvement, but I have largely been enjoying myself. I'm rather pleased that I've been able to keep the blog going this long.<br /><br />So what am I particularly proud of looking back on the year? One of my biggest accomplishments was hosting the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/01/moyoco-anno-manga-moveable-feast-archive.html">Moyoco Anno Manga Moveable Feast</a>. I've been regularly participating in the Feast since December 2010, but this was only the second time that I acted as host. It wasn't quite as nerve-wracking as the first time, but I was still very anxious about it. I like to think that it went well. Not as many people participated in the Feast as did in the first one I hosted, but the contributions were great. <br /><br />I don't tend to get very personal in my posts at Experiments in Manga, but I made one notable exception last year--<a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/11/random-musings-note-of-thanks-for.html">Random Musings: A Note of Thanks for Wandering Son</a>. This article was very difficult for me to write because it was so extremely and intimately personal. I had no idea what the response to it would be. Much to my relief, it was very well received. As nervous as I was, I ended up being very glad that I put myself out there writing it.<br /><br />Another post from the last year of Experiments in Manga that seemed to go over well was <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/08/finding-manga-right-stuf.html">Finding Manga: Right Stuf</a>. <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/search/label/Finding%20Manga">Finding Manga</a> and the closely related <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/search/label/Discovering%20Manga">Discovering Manga</a> are two features that I've really been meaning to update more frequently. I'll have to make a point to try to do that over the next year. I tend to focus on reviews at here at Experiments in Manga, but it's fun to mix it up every once in a while, too.<br /><br />Two of my reviews from the past year have been particularly popular. My review for <i><a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-passion-of-gengoroh-tagame-master_8.html">The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: The Master of Gay Erotic Manga</a> </i>has been, by far, one of the most frequently visited pages at Experiments in Manga in the blog's entire history. I was pretty excited about the manga--the first volume of Tagame's work to be released in English--so hopefully the review has been useful. I was rather surprised to see how popular my review of Tomoyuki Hoshino's volume of short fiction <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/04/we-children-of-cats.html"><i>We, the Children of Cats</i></a> proved to be. The review did receive some support from the publisher, so that probably helped. <i>We, the Children of Cats</i> is a difficult but very good collection.<br /><br />And speaking of reviews: I continued my <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/search/label/Blade%20of%20the%20Immortal"><i>Blade of the Immortal</i></a> review project. Every month I have been reviewing one volume of the series. Although <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> is still being published in English, I have just about caught up with Dark Horse's release. I will continue to review the series as the new volumes come out, but I plan on taking on another monthly review project as well. I'll be putting it to a vote, too, so look out for a poll in the near future if you'd like to help choose which manga I focus on next.<br /><br />Over the last year I was able to consistently release at least two "extra" posts a month. This pace has seemed to work pretty well for me and tends to be manageable. I still run into the problem where there's more that I want to write about but I simply don't have the time. In general, my coverage of manga has increased and I post at least one manga-centric feature or review a week. At this point the balance between manga posts and non-manga posts is close to where I want it, but I may have over-compensated a bit. I miss reading and reviewing non-manga materials to the same extent that I used to do.<br /><br />Oh! And some big news before I close: I am very pleased to announce that I and Experiments in Manga will soon be joining the <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/">Manga Bookshelf</a> network of blogs. I was greatly honored and very excited to be invited to the group and after much careful thought and deliberation I decided to accept. Not much will actually change here at Experiments in Manga, but by being a member of Manga Bookshelf I'll have even more opportunities to write about and discuss manga. More information about the move will be coming very soon. I am really looking forward to it and am delighted to be joining a group of manga bloggers that I sincerely admire.<br /><br />Finally, but perhaps most importantly, I would like to thank everyone who has read and supported Experiments in Manga over the years. As I previously mentioned, I started Experiments in Manga mostly for myself, but I sincerely appreciate all of my readers. Whether you're a regular reader or just drop by on occasion, thank you so much! I hope that I can continue to build upon what I've already done and make Experiments in Manga even better over the coming year. Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-28339277067242299212013-08-16T10:14:00.001-04:002013-08-16T10:17:44.822-04:00Forbidden Colors<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780375705168" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x7rLlUeZXN8/Ug4U9ryITzI/AAAAAAAAFZY/oLh-4FGfHWU/s200/ForbiddenColors.jpg" width="127" /></a><b>Author: Yukio Mishima</b><br />Translator: Alfred H. Marks<br />U.S. publisher: Alfred A. Knopf<br />ISBN: 9780375705168<br />Released: February 1999<br />Original release: 1951/1953<br /><br />In Japan, Yukio Mishima's novel <i>Forbidden Colors</i> was released in two parts. The first eighteen chapters were compiled in 1951 while the collection with the final fourteen chapters was published in 1953. The English translation of <i>Forbidden Colors</i> by Alfred H. Marks was first published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1968. Like Mishima's earlier novel <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/10/confessions-of-mask.html"><i>Confessions of a Mask</i></a>, <i>Forbidden Colors</i> deals with prominent homosexual themes, although the two works approach the material in vastly different ways. Also like <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/10/confessions-of-mask.html"><i>Confessions of a Mask</i></a>, and many of Mishima's other works, <i>Forbidden Colors</i> contains some autobiographical elements. In addition to being my introduction to Japanese literature, Mishima and his works fascinate me. I've been slowly making my way through all of his material available in English, but I was particularly interested in reading <i>Forbidden Colors</i>.<br /><br />After being betrayed time and again the aging author Shunsuke Hinoki has developed an intense hatred of women. Seeking revenge, he enters into a peculiar arrangement with a beautiful young man by the name of Yuichi Minami. Yuichi has come to realize that he loves men and is tormented by what that means living in a society which doesn't accept homosexuality. Shunsuke is willing to assist Yuichi in hiding his secret by helping to arrange his marriage and to develop a reputation as a philanderer. In exchange, Yuichi promises Shunsuke to make the women he seduces miserable. They may fall in love with him, but he will never love them in return. The agreement is advantageous for both men. Yuichi will have a perfect cover allowing him the freedom to explore his sexuality--no one would suspect a married man and a womanizer to have male lovers--and Shunsuke will have the revenge he so greatly desires.<br /><br />Shunsuke is an unapologetic misogynist. His anti-women rhetoric can be difficult to take, but without it the plot of <i>Forbidden Colors</i> would never go anywhere. It is necessary and important as the story's catalyst. Mishima has very deliberately created a distasteful character who at the same time is enthralling in his extremes. Yuichi, despite being loved by all, isn't a particularly pleasant person, either. However, I did find his portrayal to be much more sympathetic. He's vain and self-centered, but he also has an air of naivety and innocence about him. Both men and women fall victim to his charms but Yuichi himself is often manipulated as well. <i>Forbidden Colors</i> is an absorbing tale as Yuichi struggles to keep his two lives separate, sinking deeper into Japan's underground gay community while trying to keep up appearances in his public life. It's an outlandish battle of the sexes that is hard to look away from and no one comes out unscathed.<br /><br /><i>Forbidden Colors</i> explores and deals with a number of dualities: homosexuality and heterosexuality, love and hatred, youth and old age, beauty and ugliness, truth and deceit, cruelty and kindness, morality and immorality, and so on. Mishima plays the dichotomies off one another, but also reveals how closely intertwined they can be. The complexities of the characters' relationships show that opposites are rarely just that and how at times in the end they aren't really all that different. Yuichi, for example, comes to genuinely care for his wife but in his twisted way of thinking expresses that love through cruelty. There is a certain logic to his decision and his concern is real, though someone else might not reach the same conclusion. At it's heart <i>Forbidden Colors</i> is a fairly dark story with erotic underpinnings and characters who, though often unlikeable, are captivating. I found the novel to be incredibly engrossing.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-57536799554153229552013-08-14T11:09:00.001-04:002013-08-14T11:09:32.859-04:00Blade of the Immortal, Volume 24: Massacre<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781595827517" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyjk7kr4ZdY/UgqHvRTFpzI/AAAAAAAAFYQ/XUhZRhHJ3Oc/s200/BladeImmortal24.jpg" width="138" /></a><b>Creator: Hiroaki Samura</b><br />U.S. publisher: Dark Horse<br />ISBN: 9781595827517<br />Released: October 2011<br />Original release: 2008<br />Awards: Eisner Award, Japan Media Arts Award<br /><br /><i>Massacre</i> is the twenty-fourth volume in the English-language release of <i>Blade of the Immortal</i>, Hiroaki Samura's long-running manga series. Earlier on in the series' release, Dark Horse divided the volumes by storyline rather than by number of chapters. Because of this, many of the individual volumes are slightly different in the English-language edition compared to the original Japanese release of <i>Blade of the Immortal</i>. <i>Massacre</i>, published by Dark Horse in 2011, collects the same chapters as the twenty-third volume of the Japanese edition of the series which was released in 2008. At this point, the manga has entered its final major story arc. The previous two volumes, <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/06/blade-of-immortal-volume-22-footsteps.html"><i>Footsteps</i></a> and <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/blade-of-immortal-volume-23-scarlet.html"><i>Scarlet Swords</i></a>, provided the necessary set up which allows Samura to really let loose in <i>Massacre</i>. As can be assumed from the title, it's a rather bloody volume.<br /><br />As agreed, the Ittō-ryū is leaving Edō after being banished from the city. However, the rogue sword school is still being chased by Habaki Kagimura and his Rokki-dan warriors as well as by Rin Asano and her bodyguard Manji. But what the pursuers don't yet realize is that there are key members missing from the group of Ittō-ryū said to be making its way to the port in Hitachi: the sword school's leader Anotsu Kagehisa and three of its elite fighters--Magatsu Taito, Ozuhan, and Baro Sukezane. The four highly skilled swordsmen have their own task to complete, a bold raid on Edō Castle through one of its most heavily guarded entrances. It's a brash move that, if successful, will leave quite an impression in its wake, not to mention a high body count. The Ittō-ryū has already been identified as a threat, but they are prepared to show just how dangerous they can be.<br /><br />Samura's artwork in <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> has always been something that has particularly appealed to me about the series, but his kinetic style works especially well in <i>Massacre</i>. A large part of the volume is devoted to the daring attack on Edō Castle; the sequence is one of the most effectively choreographed and visually executed battles in <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> thus far. The Ittō-ryū is a group of swordsmen sharing the same ideals and martial philosophy more than it is a strictly enforced style. This can especially be seen in <i>Massacre</i> simply by watching how the Ittō-ryū's elite fight. They all use different weapons and techniques and each has his own aura. Anotsu's elegance, Magatsu's cruder dynamism, Ozuhan's speed and uninhibited wildness, and Baro's strength and power are all readily apparent. They fight well as individuals, but also work well together as a team.<br /><br />Although the focus of <i>Massacre</i> is on the raid of Edō Castle--a quickly paced, action packed, violent, and rather impressive escapade--several other important things happen in the volume as well. For the last few volumes of <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> Shira has been on the fringe of the story, but his prominence is quickly growing. He may have lost a limb or two over the course of <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> but his extreme sadistic streak and penchant for sexual violence remain. Shira is as terrifying as ever. Also making his return to the series was Ayame Burando, which I was surprised but happy to see. He and Manji even end up having a heart-to-heart about atonement and the meaning of evil. These are themes that play a major role in <i>Blade of the Immortal</i>, one of the reasons that I like the series so well. As always, I'm looking forward to reading the next volume, <i>Snowfall at Dawn</i>.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-37038451369665873042013-08-12T09:24:00.002-04:002013-08-12T09:24:15.464-04:00My Week in Manga: August 5-August 11, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">Boys' Love Manga Moveable Feast</a> came to an end last week. Khursten at Otaku Champloo did a fabulous job as the host and posted some <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/tag/mmf-801/">great content</a>. Sadly, it may be the last Manga Moveable Feast to be held, at least in the foreseeable future. I did have one last offering for August's Feast before it ended: I announced the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/manga-giveaway-801-manga-giveaway-winner.html">801 Manga Giveaway Winner</a>. The post also includes a wishlist of boys' love manga. (And speaking of manga giveaway winners, the winner of the <i>Umineko</i> giveaway from a few months ago created a video of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz0F_PRSLpM">unboxing of her prize</a>.)<br /><br />Last week I also posted two in-depth reviews. The first was for Suehiro Maruo's <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-strange-tale-of-panorama-island.html"><i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a>. I have literally been waiting for this manga for years and am thrilled that it is finally available in English. Last Gasp has done a beautiful job with the release. The manga is an adaptation of Edogawa Ranpo's novella <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/03/strange-tale-of-panorama-island.html"><i>Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a> which I reviewed earlier this year. The second review that I posted last week was for Isuna Hasekura's light novel <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/spice-wolf-volume-8-town-of-strife-i.html"><i>Spice &amp; Wolf, Volume 8: Town of Strife I</i></a>. Although I had previously enjoyed the series, with this volume <i>Spice &amp; Wolf</i> has finally lost its charm for me.<br /><br />I also updated the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/p/resources.html">Resources page</a>, adding a couple of sites. Last week I mentioned Deb Aoki's new site <a href="http://mangacomicsmanga.com/">Manga Comics Manga</a> which is definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. I also recently discovered Seth T. Hahne's review site <a href="http://goodokbad.com/">Good Ok Bad</a>. I really like the site which includes reviews of manga in addition to other comics and graphic novels.<br /><br />On to other interesting things found online! Nippon.com has the very interesting article <a href="http://www.nippon.com/en/views/b02203/">Urasawa Naoki Talks with Top European Artists</a>. The <a href="http://reversethieves.com/2013/07/29/the-speakeasy-043-the-dark-knight-comics-for-manga-fans/">most recent Speakeasy podcast</a> at Reverse Thieves is about American comics recommended for manga readers. Reverse Thieves also posted a review with Melissa Tanaka talking about her work <a href="http://reversethieves.com/2013/08/05/melissa-tanaka-talks-about-translating-mobile-suit-gundam-the-origin/">translating<i> Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin</i></a>. (I loved the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/05/mobile-suit-gundam-origin-volume-1.html">first volume</a> of the series and my review of the second should be coming soon.) If you're interested in what Viz Media is up to these days, ICv2 has a <a href="http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/26411.html">two</a> <a href="http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/26412.html">part</a> interview with Leyla Aker and Kevin Hamric and Comic Book Resources has an <a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&amp;id=47085">interview with Ken Sasaki</a>.<br /><br />Also last week was Otakon. Sean Gaffney at A Case Suitable for Treatment takes a quick look at some of the <a href="http://suitablefortreatment.mangabookshelf.com/2013/08/11/otakon-license-roundup/">recent manga announcements</a>. Vertical has licensed Fumi Yoshinaga's <i>What Did You Eat Yesterday?</i> which I am extremely excited about. Viz Media is bringing Naoki Urasawa's <i>Monster</i> back into print in a deluxe omnibus edition. I already own the series and probably won't be double-dipping, but I'm very happy to see this re-release. Finally, Seven Seas will be publishing Milk Morinaga's most recent yuri series <i>Gakuen Police</i>. I really enjoyed Morinaga's <i>Girl Friends</i> and <i>Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossoms Pink</i>, so I plan on picking up <i>Gakuen Police</i>, too.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781935429135" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z9_lRkgb_tg/Ufm1QOk1o4I/AAAAAAAAFVQ/spANowlUic8/s200/AnimalLand1.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/search/search.php?title_subtitle_auth=animal+land+makoto&amp;x=0&amp;y=0"><i>Animal Land</i></a>, Volumes 1-4 by Makoto Raiku. I'm not sure why I was so reluctant to read <i>Animal Land</i> but after repeated urging from a few fans of the series I decided to finally give it a try. And I'm very glad that I did. It took me a volume or so to really settle into the story, but I definitely want to read more. Taroza is a human who was abandoned as a baby only to be rescued and raised by a young female tanuki in a world of animals. The art in <i>Animal Land </i>is kind of strange, mixing realism, anthropomorphism, and just plain goofiness even within the same species. Despite its cuteness, the story in <i>Animal Land</i> can be very dark. It's also not particularly subtle, but it is engaging. <i>Animal Land </i>surprised me; so far it's a great series.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780547252698" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FEBl-welyG4/Ue0y9HQxBnI/AAAAAAAAFTE/Hg0cdwq2RZ4/s200/Ichiro.jpg" width="148" /></a><a href="http://www.hmhco.com/shop/books/ichiro/9780547252698"><i>Ichiro</i></a> by Ryan Inzana. Ichiro is a young man living with his Japanese mother in New York City after his American father dies. When her work takes them both to Japan, Ichiro has the chance to get to know his grandfather who he's never met and learn more about the country's history and culture. One night he unexpectedly stumbles into an even stranger world. I did find the sections dealing with Ichiro's real life to be much more compelling than his adventures in the land of the gods and immortals. However, I really liked the blend of story, mythology, and reality in <i>Ichiro</i> and I loved the artwork. Inzana smoothly shifts his style of art and use of color throughout the graphic novel depending on the tale being told in a very effective way.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781935654650" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rOR6eVSgKLw/UfwNENS8bzI/AAAAAAAAFV0/z9DpVQKkmmk/s200/Limit5.jpg" width="128" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/author/162366/keiko-suenobu?sort=best_13wk_3month"><i>Limit</i></a>, Volumes 5-6 by Keiko Suenobu. <i>Limit</i> has been very hit-or-miss for me. Overall, I did like it, but I had a few problems with the story. There weren't plot holes per se, but significant suspension of disbelief is required. (I'm still trying to figure out how Usui's bandage ended up on the ground and why no one seemed to hear the helicopters.) But the series had some truly great moments and intense, dramatic group dynamics. The fear that the characters deal with as they struggle to survive is almost palpable. I liked most of the fifth volume which revealed some great plot twists, but found the final volume to be rather unsatisfying. Everything is tied up too neatly and nicely and there's a fair amount of moralizing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569703137" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ajLonn4Il0/Ufm2JMXxT_I/AAAAAAAAFVg/xGaZaEw3EIQ/s200/Triton1.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/1337/"><i>Triton of the Sea, Omnibus 1</i></a> (equivalent to Volumes 1-2) by Osamu Tezuka. I was delighted when <i>Triton of the Sea</i> was licensed as part of one of Digital Manga's Kickstarter projects. Although I don't have a particular affinity for merfolk, I have always enjoyed stories involving oceans and other bodies of water. Triton is a merman, one of the last of his kind when his clan is wiped out by Poseidon, the king of the sea. Unaware of his true nature, Triton is adopted by a human family. As he grows older he is drawn into a fight against Poseidon. <i>Triton of the Sea</i> isn't as strong or as innovative as some of Tezuka's other manga, but it's still a solid adventure story. I particularly enjoyed Triton's relationship with his family and his interactions with humans.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-56965736957188849162013-08-11T10:26:00.003-04:002013-08-11T10:26:49.506-04:00Spice & Wolf, Volume 8: Town of Strife I<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780316245463" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q0CHrG6yWfs/UgePzY5FY3I/AAAAAAAAFWo/8wTW37xJAL8/s200/SpiceWolf8.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>Author: Isuna Hasekura<br />Illustrator: Jyuu Ayakura</b><br />Translator: Paul Starr<br />U.S. publisher: Yen Press<br />ISBN: 9780316245463<br />Released: April 2013<br />Original release: 2008<br /><br /><i>Town of Strife I</i> is the eighth volume in Isuna Hasekura's light novel series <i>Spice &amp; Wolf</i>, illustrated by Jyuu Ayakura. The previous volume, <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/02/spice-wolf-volume-7-side-colors.html"><i>Side Colors</i></a>, was actually a collection of three side stories; <i>Town of Strife I</i> picks up the story immediately following <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/08/spice-wolf-volume-6.html"><i>Spice &amp; Wolf, Volume 6</i></a>. As indicated by its title, <i>Town of Strife I</i> is the first part of a two-volume story, a first for <i>Spice &amp; Wolf</i>. <i>Town of Strife I</i> was originally published in Japan in 2008. Paul Starr's English translation of the novel was released by Yen Press in 2013. <i>Spice &amp; Wolf</i> is a series that I have been enjoying much more than I thought I would. Although I wasn't particularly taken with most of <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/02/spice-wolf-volume-7-side-colors.html"><i>Side Colors</i></a>, I was interested in getting back to the main story again with <i>Town of Strife I</i>.<br /><br />Having had quite the adventure on the Roam River, Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant, and Holo the Wisewolf, a centuries-old spirit in the form of a young woman, have finally made their way to the port town of Kerube with a new companion in in tow--Col, a young student they encountered along the river. Together the three of them are following a curious rumor: a search is on for the bones of a northern town's guardian deity. Many people think the story is some far fetched fairytale, but Lawrence, Holo, and Col know very well that there could be some truth behind the rumors. Upon their arrival at Kerube Lawrence seeks the aid of Eve, a former noblewoman and a skilled merchant in her own right. He's been burned once before in his dealings with her, but Eve's impressive network of connections may be their best chance of finding the bones.<br /><br />One of the things that I have always enjoyed about <i>Spice &amp; Wolf</i> is the relationship and developing romance between Lawrence and Holo. By this point in the series, Lawrence has lost some of his awkwardness when it comes to Holo. While I suppose this means he's grown as a character, I do miss the more easily embarrassed Lawrence. With the addition of Col to the mix, the dynamics of Holo and Lawrence's relationship has also changed. Their battles of wits and their good-natured bickering and teasing which once seemed so natural now feel forced as if the two of them are putting on some sort of performance for the boy. More often than not, Holo and Lawrence are verbally sparring for show in <i>Town of Strife I</i> and it's not nearly as entertaining. Ultimately I do like Col (<i>everyone</i> in <i>Spice &amp; Wolf </i>likes Col), but his presence in the story is somewhat distracting.<br /><br />Not much happens in <i>Town of Strife I</i>; it mostly seems to be setting up for the second volume in the story arc. Hasekura promises that Lawrence will get to be "really cool" in the next volume and <i>Town of Strife I</i> does end on a great cliffhanger, but I'm not sure that I'm actually interested in finding out what happens. Unfortunately, the series has finally lost its charm for me. The characters know one another so well and their conversations are so cryptic that the story is difficult to follow. The narrative lacks sufficient detail and explanations leaving readers to puzzle out the characters' motivations and actions. This has always been the case with <i>Spice &amp; Wolf</i> but what makes it particularly frustrating in <i>Town of Strife I</i> is that the volume doesn't even have a satisfying ending and doesn't stand well on its own. Hasekura claims that he needed two volumes to tell this particular story, but considering how tedious much of <i>Town of Strife I</i> is, I'm not convinced.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-24529415492117804872013-08-09T09:21:00.002-04:002013-08-29T10:03:20.791-04:00The Strange Tale of Panorama Island<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780867197778" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FLsGNDjKuM8/UgQxlTSKpZI/AAAAAAAAFWY/mgv6GZ3GL_4/s200/StrangeTalePanoramaIsland.jpg" width="146" /></a><b>Creator: Suehiro Maruo<br />Original story: Edogawa Ranpo</b><br />U.S. publisher: Last Gasp<br />ISBN: 9780867197778<br />Released: July 2013<br />Original release: 2008<br /><br />I have been looking forward to Suehiro Maruo's <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> with great anticipation ever since the license was announced by Last Gasp in 2009. After years of delay, the manga was finally released in English in 2013 as a gorgeous, large-format hardcover. Maruo's <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> was originally released in Japan in 2008. The manga is an adaptation of the renowned author Edogawa Ranpo's novella <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/03/strange-tale-of-panorama-island.html"><i>Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> </a>which was initially serialized between 1926 and 1927. (Coincidentally, the novella was also released in English for the first time in 2013.) After reading Ranpo's <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/03/strange-tale-of-panorama-island.html"><i>Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a>, I couldn't think of a more perfect artist to adapt his work than Maruo. I didn't think it was possible, but I was somehow even more excited for the release of Maruo's <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> after reading the original.<br /><br />As the Taishō Era draws to a close, failed novelist Hirosuke Hitomi finds himself behind in his rent and the prospect of his work being published slim. His latest novel, <i>The Tale of RA</i>, is a utopian fantasy which allows him to dream about what he would do if he had limitless riches. His editor encourages him to write about something closer to his real life instead. Months later Hitomi is confronted with an almost impossible opportunity that could be straight out of his novel. His former classmate Genzaburō Komoda, to whom he bears an uncanny resemblance, has unexpectedly died, leaving behind an immense fortune. Devising an outlandish scheme to take Komoda's place and take control of his wealth, Hitomi plans on devoting all of it to the creation of a hedonistic paradise, Panorama Island. The plan proceeds surprisingly well, but there is still one person who could reveal Hitomi as a fake--Komoda's wife.<br /><br />I have been an admirer of Maruo's work ever since I first discovered it. At this point, only two other volumes of Maruo's manga have been published in English: <i>Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show</i> and <i>Ultra-Gash Inferno</i>. As I have come to expect, Maruo's illustrations in <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> are exquisite. With its sensuality, eroticism, and shades of the macabre and grotesque, Maruo's artwork is ideally suited to Ranpo's story. Even in all of its beauty, <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> has an ominous and vaguely disconcerting atmosphere that is extraordinarily effective in setting the mood of the work. Hitomi's paranoia and madness is captured in ink for all to see. And then there's the island itself--Maruo's portrayal is breathtaking with stunning reveals, careful attention to detail, and beautiful design and perspective work. The art in <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> is simply marvelous.<br /><br />Maruo's <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> is a superb adaptation and a spectacular work in its own right. The manga is not at all a slavishly executed interpretation. While staying true to Ranpo's original, Maruo allows himself to put his own touches and flourishes on the story. The ending is admittedly abrupt and somewhat disorienting (this was true of the novella as well), but what comes before more than makes up for this weakness. In part, Maruo's <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> is about the end of one era and the beginning of the next, the start of a new life after the old has been discarded. Hitomi begins as a penniless author only to become intoxicated with his own ideas as he slips into a life of debauchery and excess. Maruo's vision of his descent is both captivating and unsettling, alluring and abhorrent. In the end, I am absolutely thrilled that <i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i> is finally available in English.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-11479544096479354992013-08-07T08:40:00.000-04:002013-08-11T14:17:06.545-04:00Manga Giveaway: 801 Manga Giveaway Winner<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781934129050" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMeKedcgbKc/UfhRQRXYyXI/AAAAAAAAFU8/-UcZknGU-lc/s200/Affair.jpg" width="142" /></a>And the winner of the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/manga-giveaway-801-manga-giveaway-affair.html">801 Manga Giveaway</a> is...Linda Liu!<br /><br />As the winner, Linda will be receiving a new copy of Shiuko Kano's boys' love collection <a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/37/"><i>Affair</i></a> as published by 801 Media. This giveaway was a part of the <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">Boys' Love Manga Moveable Feast</a> and so I asked entrants to tell me about a boys' love or yaoi mangaka that they would like to read more of in English. (See the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/manga-giveaway-801-manga-giveaway-affair.html#comments">801 Manga giveaway comments</a> for all of the responses and juicy details.) I've compiled the list of creators who were mentioned along with any of their manga that I know of that have been licensed in English. (Or, in the case of CLAMP, a small selection of their available manga.) A great way to encourage publishers to release more of mangaka's work in English is to make that sure their current offerings do well! <br /><br />First, those creators who have yet to be licensed in English:<br /><br /><b>Nojiko Hayakawa</b><br /><b>Junko</b><br /><b>Akira Kamuro</b><br /><b>Neko Kanda</b><br /><b>Yonezou Nekota</b><br /><b>Hiroi Takao</b><br /><br />And now, those creators currently available in English:<br /><br /><b>CLAMP</b> (a small selection)<br /><a href="http://www.darkhorse.com/Search/cardcaptor+sakura"><i>Cardcaptor Sakura</i></a><br /><a href="http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/15-311/Clover-Omnibus-Edition-Trade-Paperback-Collection"><i>Clover</i></a><br /><i>Legal Drug</i><br /><a href="http://www.darkhorse.com/Search/tokyo+babylon"><i>Tokyo Babylon</i></a><br /><i>Wish</i><br /><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/x-3-in-1"><i>X</i></a><br /><br /><b>Lily Hoshino</b><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/196/"><i>Alone in My King's Harem</i></a><br /><i><a href="http://www.deux-press.com/manga_series.aspx?msid=27">Chocolate Surprise</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://www.yenpress.com/love-quest/">Love Quest</a></i><br /><a href="http://yenpress.us/?page_id=353"><i>Mr. Flower Bride</i></a><br /><i><a href="http://yenpress.us/?page_id=354">Mr. Flower Groom</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/71/">My Only King</a></i><br /><br /><b>Saika Kunieda</b><br /><i><a href="http://www.deux-press.com/manga_series.aspx?msid=13">Future Lovers</a></i><br /><br /><b>Asumiko Nakamura</b><br /><i><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/223585/utsubora-the-story-of-a-novelist-by-asumiko-nakamura">Utsubora: The Story of a Novelist</a></i><br />(not boys' love, but still very good!)<br /><br /><b>Muku Ogura</b><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/890/"><i>Castle Mango</i></a><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/773/"><i>Secrecy of the Shivering Night</i></a><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/1003/"><i>Sentimental Garden Lover</i></a><br /><br /><b>Kaim Tachibana</b><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/80/"><i>Boys Love</i></a><br /><i>Pieces of a Spiral</i><br /><br /><b>Kotetsuko Yamamoto</b><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/search/?keyword=blooming+darling&amp;x=0&amp;y=0"><i>Blooming Darling</i></a><br /><i><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/689/">Doki Doki Crush</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/813/">Love and Trap</a>&nbsp;</i><br /><i><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/796/">Mad Cinderella</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/363/">New Beginnings</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/search/?keyword=tweeting+love+birds&amp;x=0&amp;y=0">Tweeting Love Birds</a></i><br /><br />Thank you to everyone who visited Experiments in Manga and entered the giveaway! I hope to see you all again for the next one, too.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-88440078290751329812013-08-05T08:39:00.003-04:002013-08-05T09:56:26.745-04:00My Week in Manga: July 29-August 4, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">Boys' Love Manga Moveable Feast</a>, hosted by Khursten of Otaku Champloo, is in full swing. Khursten is doing a fantastic job hosting the Feast; I highly recommend checking out <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/tag/mmf-801/">her posts</a>! I myself posted a couple of contributions to the Feast last week. The <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/manga-giveaway-801-manga-giveaway-affair.html">most recent manga giveaway</a> at Experiments in Manga is for Shiuko Kano's boys' love collection <i>Affair</i>. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Wednesday, so there's still time to enter! I also devoted my first in-depth manga review of the month to Tomoko Yamashita's <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/black-winged-love.html"><i>Black-Winged Love</i></a>. I tried to explain why it's one of my absolute favorite collections of short manga. (<a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/bookshelf-overload-july-2013.html">July's Bookshelf Overload</a> was also posted last week. Although it's not really a part of the Feast, it does include some boys' love on the list.) Finally, as you can see below, I spent last week reading a bunch of boys' love manga by Yugi Yamada. I really enjoy her sense of humor, cranky characters, and bickering (but loving) couples. Oh, and I also watched <i>Gravitation</i>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569706046" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WlwDDswLoRc/UfUvyF2oohI/AAAAAAAAFT0/ipowWdaLjSM/s200/DryHeat.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/125/"><i>Dry Heat</i></a> by Yugi Yamada. I don't think that <i>Dry Heat</i> shows Yamada at her best, but it is still an engaging read. <i>Dry Heat</i> has an odd mix of tones. The story itself is quite serious with a tendency towards the melodramatic, but there is a fair amount of humor included as well. It's as though Yamada couldn't quite decide whether the manga should be a comedy or a drama. Sometimes the balance works and sometimes it doesn't. The plot is a little over the top and stretches believability in places and I can't say that I was particularly convinced by the romantic interests, but <i>Dry Heat</i> does have some really great moments. <i>Dry Heat</i> is in turns touching, exasperating, and very funny.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569707753" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qydcx1tzDjw/UfUwD_CLHWI/AAAAAAAAFT8/-Zh7p49wJKI/s200/GlassSky.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/90/"><i>Glass Sky</i></a> by Yugi Yamada. <i>Glass Sky</i> is a great collection of short boys' love manga ranging from the bittersweet to the almost cheerful with a few laugh out loud moments. The strongest selection in the volume is the titular "Glass Sky." It's a rough and intense story, but very, very good. Dealing with bullying and violence, it's the most sobering story in <i>Glass Sky</i> and is especially shocking since it follows some of the more lighthearted pieces. I was surprised to recognize characters from Yamada's earlier one-shot manga <i>Laugh Under the Sun</i> in several of the stories in <i>Glass Sky</i>. However, it's not at all necessary to have read it in order to appreciate their stories. (Although if you have, <i>Glass Sky</i> does provide a little more insight into the characters--Naoki, especially.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569701416" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFeeBnqGOS0/UfUwag7pfWI/AAAAAAAAFUE/CzER5JIbJU0/s200/NoOneLovesMe.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/364/"><i>No One Loves Me</i></a> by Yugi Yamada. I really enjoyed <i>No One Loves Me</i>. It's&nbsp; one of my favorite manga by Yamada. Katsuhiro is a subdued and awkward book lover and used book store owner with a particular interest in Czech literature. The much brasher Masafumi is in the sales department of a publishing house but is thrust into a translation project as Katsuhiro's editor. Their relationship, professional and otherwise, has its ups and downs and is wonderful to watch unfold. <i>No One Loves Me</i> isn't as outrageously funny as some of Yamada's other manga, but there's still plenty of humor. Plus, the incorporation of the love of books into the story is a nice bonus and something that I particularly appreciated.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569701409" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hE2g3FMqtu8/UfUxIvNtygI/AAAAAAAAFUM/l2Yx0xu8tbk/s200/OpenDoorYourHeart.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/368/"><i>Open the Door to Your Heart</i></a> by Yugi Yamada. One of my favorite Yamada manga is <i>Close the Last Door</i>, a short two-volume series. <i>Open the Door to Your Heart</i> is a one-volume side story which slightly overlaps, following the two older Honda brothers. I didn't like <i>Open the Door to Your Heart </i>nearly as well, but still enjoyed parts of the manga. It was nice to get to know the Hondas better, both the brothers as individuals and the family a whole. What Yamada captures particularly well in <i>Open the Door to Your Heart</i> is the struggle that Sho, the oldest brother, continues to go through trying to fully accept that he has been adopted. This is complicated by the fact that he is in love with his younger brother and that those feelings are returned.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569708729" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwYLEWzjZLM/UfUxiK5vjzI/AAAAAAAAFUU/ezLMCgHtjic/s200/Picnic.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/387/"><i>Picnic</i></a> by Yugi Yamada. Once again, the titular story "Picnic" is probably the strongest manga in this collection. Or, at least it's one of my favorites. Granted, most of the manga collected in the volume are well done. <i>Picnic</i> tends towards the sillier and sweeter side of things, but there are some genuinely touching moments that balance out the goofier ones quite nicely. Two of the stories feature characters from an earlier manga by Yamada which at this point hasn't been licensed in English. (They may have also been spun off into their own series, though I'm not certain about that.) The focus of the short manga collected in <i>Picnic </i>is less on the plot more on the characters themselves.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781934496039" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7zuExsh85Q/UfUx8Ybj8LI/AAAAAAAAFUc/RlysCHGvjFg/s200/SpringFever.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.deux-press.com/manga_volume.aspx?mvid=2"><i>Spring Fever</i></a> by Yugi Yamada. <i>Spring Fever</i> collects two unrelated stories by Yamada: the titular "Spring Fever" and "Wildman Blues." The beginning of "Spring Fever" is delightfully funny before taking quite a serious turn. Yusuke is constantly falling head-over-heels for the most unlikely candidates only to be rejected again and again. This time the object of his desire happens to be an older man--a divorcé with a young son. "Wildman Blues" ties in with "Glass Sky" (and by extension <i>Laugh Under the Sun</i>.) Yamada once again turns her attention to Naoki. Despite all the heartache and anguish she puts him through, Yamada seems to have a fondness for the character. I've come to really like him, too. "Wildman Blues" provides a very satisfying conclusion to his story.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8077645082299949444" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gL_0joPki8A/UfUyq7VC4OI/AAAAAAAAFUk/NQILMADikSU/s200/Gravitation.jpg" width="144" /></a><a href="http://gravitation.rightstuf.com/"><i>Gravitation</i></a> directed by Bob Shirohata. The thirteen-episode <i>Gravitation</i> anime is much more even-keeled than Maki Murakami's original manga series. The darker moments aren't quite as dark and the humor, while still ridiculous, isn't quite as outrageous. The anime adapts a little more than half of the manga series. I personally preferred the manga's earlier storyline anyway, so I didn't have a problem with the anime stopping where it did. The anime compresses and streamlines the plot of <i>Gravitation</i>. As a result, Shuichi and Yuki's relationship seems a bit rushed, but for the most part the adaptation is really well done. I did wish there was a little more variety in the music, though.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-28458810011301241452013-08-04T10:46:00.002-04:002013-08-05T15:52:30.524-04:00Black-Winged Love<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781600093241" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_INf1pfYHIYk/TNf8wG_SMEI/AAAAAAAAA-A/q6PjFd4Rp2I/s200/BlackWingedLove.jpg" width="138" /></a><b>Creator: Tomoko Yamashita</b><br />U.S. publisher: Netcomics<br />ISBN: 9781600093241<br />Released: October 2009<br />Original release: 2008<br /><br />So far, only two of Tomoko Yamashita's works have been released in print in English, both in 2009 and both by Netcomics: <i>Dining Bar Akira</i> and <i>Black-Winged Love</i>. I've read and enjoyed both volumes a great deal, but it's <i>Black-Winged Love</i> that has really stuck with me. In fact, <i>Black-Winged Love</i>, originally published in Japan in 2008, is one of my favorite boys' love collections and contains some of my absolute favorite short manga. (Though, as with all collections, some of the pieces aren't as strong as others.) When the subject of the <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">Manga Moveable Feast for August 2013</a> was decided to be boys' love, my mind immediately turned to <i>Black-Winged Love</i>. I've actually been meaning to review the volume for quite a while now. As a lesser known work from a lesser known publisher (which tends to specialize in manhwa rather than manga), I personally feel that both Yamashita and <i>Black-Winged Love</i> are deserving of more attention and I wanted to share my love.<br /><br /><i>Black-Winged Love</i> collects seven unrelated short manga by Yamashita along with some fun bonus material to close the volume. The collection opens with "Drive a Nail into Love," unusual for a boys' love story in that it is told from the perspective of a gay high school student's older sister. Next is "It's My Chocolate!" which captures being the oldest sibling in a large family exceptionally well. "A Villain's Teeth" shows the relationship between the daughter of a mafia boss and his former second-in-command and explores his devotion to the both of them. In the titular "Black-Winged Love," a man's masochistic tendencies and fetishes get in the way of his feelings. Next is "Jump Across That Fire" which follows two students as they become closer in the school library over summer break. "Fool 4 U" features a problematic relationship between two long-time friends. <i>Black-Winged Love</i> concludes with the shortest piece, "Photogenic," in which a man doesn't quite get what he was expecting from a male escort service.<br /><br />None of the stories in <i>Black-Winged Love</i> are tied together by plot and they are all quite different from one another, but many share similar elements. One of the recurring themes in <i>Black-Winged Love</i> is the importance of family--"Drive a Nail into Love," "It's My Chocolate!," and "A Villain's Teeth" in particular feature atypical families and family situations. As someone who is a queer oldest sibling, I'm especially fond of "It's My Chocolate!"--never have I come across another boy' love manga that I so personally and closely identify with. I also happen to read and enjoy Japanese literature, so I appreciate the literary references in <i>Black-Winged Love</i> and how characters connect (or try to connect) through books and reading. In "Jump Across That Fire," both the title and part of the story are references to Yukio Mishima's <i>The Sound of Waves</i>. And in "Black-Winged Love," short works by Edogawa Rampo and Kenzaburō Ōe play a small role. <br /><br />So, what exactly is it about <i>Black-Winged Love</i> that works so well for me? I like that all of the stories are a little unusual and unexpected while still be very realistic in the portrayal of their characters and their relationships. <i>Black-Winged Love</i> explores hidden feelings that are often forced out into the open. The characters must first come to terms with themselves before they can attempt to come to terms with those around them. <i>Black-Winged Love</i> tends towards the more serious, introspective, and melancholy, but all of the stories and many of the characters exhibit a quirky, dark sense of humor as well. I like that the stories have funnier moments to balance out the morose. Not every one is treated to an ideal happy ending but some of them are. To me that makes <i>Black-Winged Love</i> feel more authentic. <i>Black-Winged Love</i> is a collection that I have read several times already and it continues to be one of my favorite volumes of short manga, boys' love or otherwise.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-41092412267885511552013-08-02T08:48:00.002-04:002013-08-11T10:47:27.857-04:00Bookshelf Overload: July 2013I had some great luck in finding out of print manga in July: my collection of the ultimate edition of the <i>Battle Royale</i> manga is finally complete; I'm now only missing one print volume of Shotaro Ishinomori's <i>Cyborg 009</i>; and I came across an entire set of Kyoko Ariyoshi's <i>Swan</i> (or at least the volumes that were released in English.) More importantly, I managed to get them all below cover price, which is saying something.<i> </i>Other July manga acquisitions included a near-complete collection of Ai Yazawa's <i>Nana</i> for an incredible price. I had been borrowing <a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/nana"><i>Nana</i></a> from my local library; I've been debating picking up a copy of my own because it's so good. I couldn't pass up the opportunity and finally caved. But the manga I was most excited about in July was Suehiro Maruo's <a href="http://www.lastgasp.com/d/36181/the-strange-tale-of-panorama-island"><i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a>. I have literally been waiting for this release for years. Expect a review soon!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Manga! </span><br /><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/search/search.php?title_subtitle_auth=animal+land+makoto&amp;x=0&amp;y=0"><i>Animal Land</i></a>, Volumes 1-4 by Makoto Raiku<br /><i>Battle Royale: Ultimate Edition</i>, Volumes 5 written by Koushun Takami, illustrated by Masayuki Taguchi <br /><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/177437/black-jack-volume-7-by-osamu-tezuka"><i>Black Jack, Volume 7</i></a> by Osamu Tezuka<br /><i>Cyborg 009</i>, Volume 8 and 10 by Shotaro Ishinomori <br /><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/224556/flowers-of-evil-volume-6-by-shuzo-oshimi"><i>The Flowers of Evil, Volume 6</i></a> by Shuzo Oshimi<br /><a href="https://www.sublimemanga.com/reader/636"><i>Hide and Seek, Volume 1</i></a> by Yaya Sakuragi<br /><a href="http://www.pictureboxinc.com/products/1175-last-of-the-mohicans"><i>The Last of the Mochicans</i></a> by Shigeru Sugiura <br /><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/223586/the-limit-6-by-keiko-suenobu"><i>Limit, Volume 6</i></a> by Keiko Suenobu <br /><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/loveless-volume-4/10342"><i>Loveless, Omnibus 4</i></a> by Yun Kouga<br /><a href="http://bentobooks.wpengine.com/2013/06/math-girls-manga-vol-1/"><i>Math Girls Manga, Volume 1</i></a> written by Hiroshi Yuki, illustrated by Mika Hisaka<br /><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/nana"><i>Nana</i></a>, Volumes 1-20 by Ai Yazawa <br /><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/ral-grad"><i>Ral Ω Grad</i></a>, Volumes 1-4 written by Tsuneo Takano, illustrated by Takeshi Obata<br /><a href="http://www.udonentertainment.com/blog/udon/manga-udon/sengoku-basara-samurai-legends-volume-1-udon-2012-in-review/"><i>Sengoku Basara: Samurai Legends, Volume 1</i></a> by Yak Haibara <br /><a href="http://www.lastgasp.com/d/36181/the-strange-tale-of-panorama-island"><i>The Strange Tale of Panorama Island</i></a> by Suehiro Maruo<br /><i>Strawberry Chan</i>, Volumes 1-2 by Ai Morinaga<br /><i>Swan</i>, Volumes 1-15 by Kyoko Ariyoshi<br /><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/1337/"><i>Triton of the Sea, Omnibus 1</i></a> by Osamu Tezuaka<br /><a href="http://vertical-inc.com/books/twinknights.html"><i>The Twin Knights</i></a> by Osamu Tezuka<br /><a href="http://www.vertical-inc.com/books/vandm.html"><i>Velveteen &amp; Mandala</i></a> by Jiro Matsumoto<br /><a href="http://www.vertical-inc.com/books/wolfsmund.html"><i>Wolfsmund, Volume 1</i></a> by Mitsuhisa Kuji<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Manhwa!</span><br /><a href="http://www.yenpress.com/arons-absurd-armada/#V2"><i>Aron's Absurd Armada, Omnibus 2</i></a> by MiSun Kim<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Comics!</span><br /><i><a href="http://www.lounak.com/werehouse/index.php?route=product/product&amp;path=33&amp;product_id=72">Demeter</a><b> </b></i>by Becky Cloonan<i> </i><br /><a href="http://2dcloud.blogspot.com/2009/12/everybody.html"><i>Every/Body: An Open Discussion of Gender and Body</i></a> by Various <br /><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/meat-cake-with-free-bonus-comic-signed-bookplate.html"><i>Meat Cake</i></a> by Dame Darcey <br /><a href="http://manga.clone-army.org/store_item.php?item=NNN_hardcover"><i>NNN</i></a> by Dan Kim<br /><i>Samurai: A Digital Tribute to Men</i> by Various<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Light Novels!</span><br /><a href="http://yaoi-revolution.com/orochinokishi.html"><i>Orochi no Kishi</i></a> written by Itoshi, illustrated by Lehanan Aida<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Novels!</span><br /><a href="http://www.vertical-inc.com/books/crimson.html"><i>The Crimson Labyrinth</i></a> by Yusuke Kishi<br /><a href="http://groveatlantic.com/#page=isbn9780802121097"><i>The Goddess Chronicle</i></a> by Natsuo Kirino <br /><a href="http://knopfdoubleday.com/book/118718/kafka-on-the-shore/"><i>Kafka on the Shore</i></a> by Haruki Murakami <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Anthologies!</span><br /><a href="http://www.kurodahan.com/mt/e/catalog/j0020cate.html"><i>The Edogawa Rampo Reader</i></a> by Edogawa Rampo<br /><a href="http://www.tuttlepublishing.com/books-by-country/japanese-tales-of-mystery-and-imagination"><i>Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination</i></a> by Edogawa Rampo <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Anime!</span><br /><a href="http://www.funimation.com/fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood"><i>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i></a> directed by Yasuhiro Irie<br /><i>The Garden of Words</i> directed by Makoto Shinkai<br /><i>X: The Movie</i> directed by Rintaro<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Music!</span><br /><i>Kodo vs. Yosuke Yamashita in Live</i>Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-25793875498155668982013-07-31T08:59:00.000-04:002013-08-11T14:17:47.076-04:00Manga Giveaway: 801 Manga Giveaway (Affair)Not only is it the last Wednesday of the month--meaning it's time for another manga giveaway here at Experiments in Manga--it's also the last day of the month. Tomorrow begins the <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">Boys' Love Manga Moveable Feast</a>, also known as the 801 MMF. Keeping with the theme of the Feast, I decided to coordinate this month's giveaway by offering you all a chance to win Shiuko Kano's boys' love collection <a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/37/"><i>Affair</i></a> from Digital Manga's imprint 801 Media. Now, this is a mature title so entries are restricted to those who are eighteen and older. The giveaway is open worldwide, but if boys' love or yaoi is illegal in your country, please refrain from entering. (Sorry!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781934129050" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMeKedcgbKc/UfhRQRXYyXI/AAAAAAAAFU8/-UcZknGU-lc/s200/Affair.jpg" width="142" /></a></div><br />My introduction to Shiuko Kano's work was through <a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/37/"><i>Affair</i></a>, one of the earliest to be released by 801 Media and Kano's second manga to be released in English. Since then she's had a pretty good run of it. Her boys' love manga has been published in print by 801 Media, Be Beautiful, Deux Press, Juné, and SuBLime. It's quite impressive, really. Seeing how much of and how frequently her work has been licensed, I think it would probably be safe to assume that Kano has a fairly strong following.<br /><br /><b>So, you may be wondering, how can you win a copy of <a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/37/"><i>Affair</i></a>?</b><br /><br />1) In the comments below, name at least one boys' love or yaoi mangaka whose manga you would like to see more of in English and tell me why you enjoy their work.<br />2) If you're on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/PhoenixTerran">@PhoenixTerran</a> (that's me).<br /><br />Pretty simple, no? For this giveaway, each person who participates can earn up to two entries. As usual, you have one week to submit your comments. If you have trouble leaving comments, or if you would prefer, you can e-mail me your entry at <a href="mailto:phoenixterran@gmail.com">phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com</a>. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on August 7, 2013. Good luck to you all and enjoy the <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">801 MMF</a>!<br /><br />VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address, link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can't figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I'll just draw another name.<br /><br /><i>Contest winner announced--<a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/manga-giveaway-801-manga-giveaway-winner.html">Manga Giveaway: 801 Manga Giveaway Winner</a></i> Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-86344792486308253542013-07-29T08:58:00.001-04:002013-07-29T08:58:49.852-04:00My Week in Manga: July 22-July 28, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />I recently watched and enjoyed <i>Kids on the Slope</i> which inspired me to learn more about jazz in Japan. To that end, I decided to read one of the very few books on the subject, <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/jazz-journeys-to-japan-heart-within.html"><i>Jazz Journeys to Japan: The Heart Within</i></a> by jazz writer and journalist William Minor. It's part travelogue and part music criticism and history. Personally, I found Minor's writing style to be annoying, but the information was great. Last week I also posted the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/library-love-part-16.html">most recent Library Love</a> feature, which is now back on its regular bimonthly schedule.<br /><br />Deb Aoki, the former editor of <a href="http://manga.about.com/">About.com:Manga</a>, has launched a new website of her own--<a href="http://mangacomicsmanga.com/">Manga Comics Manga</a>. She's already posted some great content, including the <a href="http://mangacomicsmanga.com/san-diego-comic-con-best-worst-manga-of-2013/">list of manga</a> from the Best &amp; Worst Manga panel at the San Diego Comic-Con and the <a href="http://mangacomicsmanga.com/sdcc-2013-audio-from-best-worst-manga-panel-posted/">accompanying audio</a>. Last week I mentioned some of the news from SDCC that I was particularly interested in, but Brigid Alverson has a nice roundup of <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/07/26/san-diego-comic-con-manga/">most of the manga news</a> from SDCC at MTV Geek and at A Case Suitable for Treatment Sean Gaffney takes a <a href="http://suitablefortreatment.mangabookshelf.com/2013/07/28/sdcc-license-roundup/">closer look at the licenses</a> that were announced.<br /><br />A few more interesting items that I've recently come across online: <a href="http://www.sffworld.com/content.php?373-Interview-with-Toh-EnJoe">Toh EnJoe was interviewed at SFFWorld</a>. Special attention is given to <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/04/self-reference-engine.html"><i>Self-Reference Engine</i></a>, which remains one of my favorite books that I've read this year. Also, the winners of the <a href="http://www.manga-audition.com/">Silent Manga Audition</a> competition have been announced and the <a href="http://www.manga-audition.com/list.html">winning entries</a> have all been made available for download. Later this week, the <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/manga-moveable-feast/mmf-801-bl-manga/">Boys' Love Manga Moveable</a> will begin! Khursten of Otaku Champloo will be hosting and has already posted a couple of great giveaways: <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/2013/07/24/801mmf-giveaway-no-1-we-want-new-webcomics/">We want new webcomics!</a> and <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/2013/07/26/801mmf-giveaway-no-2-name-your-kinks/">Name your kinks</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781935654490" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-12xg6e2-n-U/Ue0yOM6bENI/AAAAAAAAFS0/L4c2IwzI11Y/s200/FlowersEvil3.jpg" width="143" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/search/search.php?x=0&amp;y=0&amp;title_subtitle_auth=flowers+of+evil"><i>Flowers of Evil</i></a>, Volumes 4-6 by Shuzo Oshimi. I have no idea where Oshimi is going with <i>Flowers of Evil</i> but the series seems to be getting better and better. Kasuga has changed considerably from who he was at the beginning of the manga. Nakamura has forced him to realize things about himself that he had tried to keep hidden or that he wasn't aware of to begin with. And then there's Saeki, who he once idolized but who isn't the embodiment of purity he thought or wanted her to be. The relationship between the three is a dangerous and twisted triangle of love, power, and submission. <i>Flowers of Evil</i> is intense. It's dark. It's perverted. I'm looking forward to the next arc a great deal.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781612620077" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udTwzh-eboY/Ue0yaDtpt1I/AAAAAAAAFS8/7m9lS3EEhj4/s200/SailorMoon11.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/224018/sailor-moon-11-by-naoko-takeuchi"><i>Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 11</i></a> by Naoko Takeuchi. The eleventh and penultimate volume of <i>Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon</i> is the beginning of the final major story arc in the series. After an all too brief time of peace, the Sailor Guardians once again must face a powerful enemy. And this time the entire galaxy may be at stake. The last volume I read of <i>Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon</i> was actually the fourth one, but I was still able to fall into the story of the eleventh fairly easily. I love how Takeuchi plays around with gender roles and expectations in <i>Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon</i>. The series continues to be frantically paced and occasionally difficult to follow, but its mix of silliness and seriousness is charming. I can understand why the manga is so well loved.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781598833973" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-qXOO18OXY/Ue0z53dYflI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/prbjReBCo38/s200/YokaiHunger.jpg" width="139" /></a><b><i>Yokai's Hunger</i></b> by Bohra Naono. I really wanted to like <i>Yokai's Hunger</i>, and there were parts of it that I did enjoy, but for the most part the manga frustrated me. In particular, the legends and mythologies in<i> </i>this boys' love one-shot were a complete mess. Koma is described as a tengu, but he's depicted as a dog spirit rather than the usual avian-inspired yokai. Later the manga tries to merge Mesopotamian myths with the story; it doesn't end up working very well. I didn't realize when I first picked up <i>Yokai's Hunger</i> that it was largely a comedy. The humorous moments in the manga are certainly much more successful than those attempting to be more serious. <i>Yokai's Hunger</i> was actually quite funny in places.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPHy6-7q_IM/UaIt6dxhrKI/AAAAAAAAFHc/rX_Aa19kp30/s1600/DearBrother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPHy6-7q_IM/UaIt6dxhrKI/AAAAAAAAFHc/rX_Aa19kp30/s200/DearBrother.jpg" width="148" /></a><a href="http://www.viki.com/tv/5849c-dear-brother"><i>Dear Brother</i></a>, Episodes 21-39 directed by Osamu Dezaki. The second half of the <i>Dear Brother</i> anime adaptation picks up the pace from the first and I found myself consistently engaged. There is so much drama in the <i>Dear Brother</i> and it's marvelous (even when it's not particularly believable.) The story unfolds within the social dynamics of Seiran Academy and within the personal lives of the students. What happens at the academy pales in comparison to the tragedies outside of it. Some of the plot twists seem to come out of nowhere and some of the revelations are shocking, but it makes for an absorbing tale. The very last scene is a bit of a cop-out, but otherwise I found the ending of the series to be satisfying. I really enjoyed <i>Dear Brother</i>.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-70582763391850770592013-07-26T10:08:00.000-04:002013-07-26T10:08:02.819-04:00Library Love, Part 16<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Support manga, support your library!</b></i></span><br /><br />Here's what I've been reading:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/156931974X" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSWR_-Sb6n4/Ueb-OJ6JSsI/AAAAAAAAFR0/2QZCFgm8j5g/s200/Basara1.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/basara"><i>Basara</i></a>, Volumes 1-5 by Yumi Tamura. After reading only the first five volumes of <i>Basara</i>, I am already convinced that I want to own the entire series. Unfortunately, parts of it are tragically out of print. What's also unfortunate? My library only has the first five volumes. <i>Basara</i> might be difficult to find but I think it's worth tracking down. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, <i>Basara </i>follows a young woman named Sarasa. She hides the fact that her twin brother Tatara, the "child of destiny" prophesied to save their people from tyrannical imperial rule, has died by taking his place. So far, <i>Basara</i> is a quickly paced series featuring complex characters (including kick-ass women) and a fair amount of violence and tragedy for good measure.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/1421501899" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4A4-qCG_IDo/Ueb-jgeCtrI/AAAAAAAAFR8/no78AI5oigI/s200/KazeHikaru.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/kaze-hikaru"><i>Kaze Hikaru</i></a>, Volumes 1-3 by Taeko Watanabe. I enjoy a good period manga and I've recently developed a particular interest in the Shinsengumi, so it was about time I gave <i>Kaze Hikaru</i> a try. (Plus, it has cross-dressing!) The series was Watanabe's first foray into historical manga and she put a ton of research and reference work into the story and art. <i>Kaze Hikaru </i>follows Tominaga Sei, a young woman who has disguised herself as a boy in order to join the Mibu-Roshi which will later become the Shinsengumi. What she lacks in skill she makes up for in enthusiasm; for personal reasons, she is determined to become a great swordsman. Like all of the Shinsengumi manga that I've read, there are a lot of characters to keep track of in <i>Kaze Hikaru</i>. But I am enjoying Watanabe's take on the era.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/1421518805" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AF1S0jYYqZ4/UecB3UUMXbI/AAAAAAAAFSM/vXNUQtubGH0/s200/Nana13.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/nana"><i>Nana</i></a>, Volumes 13-15 by Ai Yazawa. I am still absolutely loving this series. (In fact, I finally caved and purchased an entire set. It's just that good.) The characters and their relationships continue to grow and evolve as the series progresses. Some of them have even closer connections than I initially realized--the lives of the members of Trapnest and the Black Stones all intertwine and have been for quite some time now. Trust issues and jealousy show just how tenuous a relationship can be even when people are deeply in love. Since the beginning the narration of <i>Nana</i> has been somewhat ominous, implying some sort of impending tragic event without yet revealing what has happened. At this point, I'm starting to really worry.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/142153374X" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OD7hS-UHXgw/UecCUZnoBmI/AAAAAAAAFSU/wqY1UFPWasc/s200/SaturnApartments3.jpg" width="139" /></a><a href="http://www.viz.com/manga/print/saturn-apartments"><i>Saturn Apartments</i></a>, Volumes 3-6 by Hisae Iwaoka. It's been a while since I've read any <i>Saturn Apartments</i>; I had forgotten how much I enjoy this quieter science fiction slice-of-life tale. At first the series seems to be fairly episodic, but as the manga develops an over-arching plot is established. Mitsu continues his training as a window washer of the ring system--a dangerous job, but one that he has come to love. Through his work the likable young man has made many connections and friends. At the same time, the tension between the working class of the lower levels and the upper class residents continues to increase. The sixth volume of <i>Saturn Apartments </i>is particularly excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing how Iwaoka brings everything to a close.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-51599587059458230692013-07-24T09:51:00.000-04:002013-07-24T09:56:30.634-04:00Jazz Journeys to Japan: The Heart Within<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780472113453" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJljukWmXZ8/Ue53UvTH9lI/AAAAAAAAFTg/WjvFvmRO254/s200/JazzJourneysJapan.jpg" width="132" /></a><b>Author: William Minor</b><br />Publisher: University of Michigan Press<br />ISBN: 9780472113453<br />Released: January 2004<br /><br /><i>Jazz Journeys to Japan: The Heart Within</i>, written by William Minor and published by the University of Michigan Press in 2004 as part of its Jazz Perspectives series, is one of the very few major works in English that focuses on jazz in Japan. Although there are many articles and dissertations that address the subject, the only other book that I know of that is specifically devoted to Japanese jazz is E. Taylor Atkins' <i>Blue Nippon: Authenticating Jazz in Japan</i>. Because jazz is such a popular genre of music in Japan I'm a little surprised that more hasn't been written about it. I myself have a background in music and an interest in jazz. Considering that I also have an interest in Japan, it was only a matter of time before I would seek out material combining the two. I've had <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> sitting on my shelf for a couple of years now; the release of the jazz-inundated anime series <i>Kids on the Slope</i> provided the final push I needed to get around to reading it.<br /><br />Jazz is believed to have been introduced to Japan as early as 1921. It's general appeal increased until World War II when the music was banned in 1943 due to its association with Western culture. Interest in jazz saw a resurgence during the American occupation following the war. Since then, jazz has continued to be an influential genre in Japan. <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> is the result of six years worth of research and writing. During that period, Minor traveled to Japan multiple times seeking out, interviewing, and listening to Japanese jazz musicians, their fans, and others involved in the music industry. Minor, a veteran jazz writer and journalist, wanted not only to discover but to experience just what it was that made Japan's jazz and jazz culture unique. While in Japan he attended festivals, clubs, studios, and concerts. Minor made a point to find Japanese-influenced and inspired artists outside of Japan as well. <br /><br /><i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> is a mix of travel memoir, interviews, history, and music criticism. The individual chapters, some of which were previously published before being collected in the book, are short and easily digestible. Typically a chapter focuses on specific musicians, topics, or themes and doesn't rely too much on what has come before or after it. This makes <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> fairly easy to pick up and put back down as time or interest permits. Minor does assume that the reader has at least some passing familiarity with jazz music and prominent jazz musicians--<i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> makes frequent references to songs and artists without going into much detail about jazz standards or more well-known performers of the genre. There are a lot of names and titles to keep track of while reading <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i>.<br /><br />Sadly, my overall enjoyment of <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> was hindered by Minor's writing style which I personally found to be grating; he had a particularly annoying habit of unnecessarily inserting Japanese words and phrases into the text. I also found that I was much less interested in Minor's travelogue and personal experiences than I was in the history of jazz in Japan and the musicians themselves. The best parts of <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> were those that focused on the music and the artists, allowing them to have their own say. It was also fascinating to read about how Japanese aesthetics in traditional art, poetry, and music have influenced Japanese jazz culture. Also extremely valuable was Minor's inclusion of a select discography. There are many musicians in <i>Jazz Journeys to Japan</i> whose music I will be happily seeking out.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-41165923949614128032013-07-22T08:57:00.001-04:002013-07-23T08:06:00.245-04:00My Week in Manga: July 15-July 21, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />Last week I posted two in-depth manga reviews here at Experiments in Manga. The first review was for Hiroaki Samura's <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/blade-of-immortal-volume-23-scarlet.html"><i>Blade of the Immortal, Volume 23: Scarlet Swords</i></a>. Now that Manji has made his escape from the dungeons under Edō Castle the series has started to focus a bit more on the Ittō-ryū once again, which I'm happy to see. My second review last week was my contribution to the <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/mmf-archive/manga-moveable-feast-yun-kouga-archive/">Yun Kouga Manga Moveable Feast</a>. I took a closer look at Viz Media's new release of Kouga's <i>Loveless</i>. I had previously read <i>Loveless </i>when Tokyopop published the first eight volumes years ago, but <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/loveless-omnibus-1.html">Viz's first omnibus</a> quickly reminded me why I find the manga so peculiarly compelling. <br /><br />Last week was also the San Diego Comic-Con. Seeing as it's clear across the country from me and it's unlikely that I'd ever be able to handle such a huge event, I wasn't in attendance. However, I did pay attention to some of the news and announcements coming out of SDCC. I was most interested in <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-18/viz-to-release-all-you-need-is-kill-graphic-novel-battle-royale-essay-book">Haikasoru's plans</a> for a graphic novel adaptation of <i>All You Need Is Kill</i> (I <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2010/08/all-you-need-is-kill.html">reviewed the original</a> a few years ago), a new translation of <i>Battle Royale</i> (I <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2010/08/battle-royale.html">reviewed the previous translation</a> a few years ago, too), and a collection of essays on <i>Battle Royale</i>. In other news: Viz is <a href="http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/07/sdcc-13-viz-media-relaunches-viz-kids-as-perfect-square/">relaunching the Viz Kids imprint</a> as Perfect Square; Kodansha is <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-18/kodansha-usa-adds-xxxholic-rei-my-little-monster-say-i-love-you-monster-soul">adding more shoujo titles</a> to its catalog, including some Del Rey license rescues; and Naoki Urasawa's <i>20th Century Boys</i> <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-20/urasawa-20th-century-boys-wins-2nd-eisner-award">won its second Eisner Award</a> this year.<br /><br />Oh! And the next Manga Moveable Feast will soon be upon us! Khursten of Otaku Champloo is hosting August's Feast early in the month in order to coincide 8/01 (a.k.a. "yaoi day.") Khursten's calling it a <a href="http://www.punkednoodle.com/champloo/2013/07/22/801-mmf-a-fujojo-fiyaysta/">fujojo fiyaysta</a> and the Feast will be focusing on boys' love and yaoi. So, join us from August 1 to August 10 for a good time, giveaways, and more! <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12680472" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJptdVBgtKs/UeH3khRaJ-I/AAAAAAAAFQw/fGn8NjxgwuQ/s200/HoneydewSyndrome1.jpg" width="136" /></a><a href="http://www.mangamagazine.net/manga-and-comics/Honeydew-Syndrome/detail-page/3833?lang=en"><i>Honeydew Syndrome</i></a>, Volumes 1-2 by New Shoe. I thoroughly enjoyed <i>Honeydew Syndrome</i>, particularly it's quirky and true-to-life characters. Initially released as a webcomic, the boys' love series was later collected in print in two volumes with additional bonus content. The first volume focuses on the somewhat awkward relationship between Metis and Josh which only gets its start after Josh hauls out and punches Metis in the face. The second volume partly overlaps with the first--some of the same events are seen from different perspectives--and focuses on their friends. <i>Honeydew Syndrome</i> doesn't really have a driving plot; instead, it's much more about relationships (and not just the romantic ones.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781598160253" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KE0UnbeLbVc/UeH5b4E1dNI/AAAAAAAAFRA/1q3QsZVXy8o/s200/SaiyukiReload1.jpg" width="135" /></a><b><i>Saiyuki Reload</i></b>, Volumes 1-3 by Kazuya Minekura. Though the manga changed names, magazines, and demographics, <i>Saiyuki Reload </i>is a direct followup to Minekura's <i>Saiyuki</i>. While I enjoyed the slightly ridiculous <i>Saiyuki</i>, for some reason <i>Saiyuki Reload</i> doesn't seem to be clicking as well with me. Despite a few flashbacks delving into Sanzo's past, these early volumes just don't feel like they're going anywhere with either the story or the characters. It's as if Sanzo and his crew are simply playing their previously established roles; the character development seems to be missing. However, the artwork in <i>Saiyuki Reload</i> is more polished than that in <i>Saiyuki</i>. (It is a more recent series after all.) The action sequences tend to be clearer and easier to follow, too.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781935429791" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwGflhYlUXM/UdiMyPJ1UYI/AAAAAAAAFQA/-tLaEFlK8Ho/s200/SayonaraZetsubouSensei9.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/author/144586/koji-kumeta?sort=best_13wk_3month"><i>Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei: The Power of Negative Thinking</i></a>, Volumes 9-10 by Koji Kumeta. <i>Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei </i>was originally released in English by Del Rey, but it is one of the series that Kodansha now continues to publish. It's a slow seller--there hasn't been a volume released in over a year--but I can understand why. The series tends to be episodic, has a very specific sense of humor, and the sheer number of cultural references it uses makes the series challenging to translate and adapt. Despite the fact that I often find <i>Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei</i> to be hilarious in a darkly absurd way, I can only read a volume or two at a time without it feeling like a chore. But I do like the series and am glad that it's available. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCZ8OYVrYVQ/UeH6dWkTzKI/AAAAAAAAFRQ/0Is1DIMhS3w/s1600/HereIsGreenwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCZ8OYVrYVQ/UeH6dWkTzKI/AAAAAAAAFRQ/0Is1DIMhS3w/s200/HereIsGreenwood.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="http://www.media-blasters.com/main/index.php/anime-a-films/anime-works/648-here-is-greenwood"><i>Here Is Greenwood</i></a> directed by Tomomi Mochizuki. Based on the shoujo manga series by Yukie Nasu, <i>Here Is Greenwood</i> is a six-episode OVA. Although it is a mix of strict adaptation, new material, and slight re-imaginings of the stories in the original, the anime stays very true to the tone of the manga. I read and enjoyed <i>Here Is Greenwood</i> and I enjoyed the anime as well, but I don't think that it will hold much appeal to those who aren't already familiar with the characters. <i>Here Is Greenwood</i> is fairly episodic but the stories all revolve around the perpetually stressed-out high school student Kazuya Hasukawa, his oddball dorm and class mates, and the often absurd situations they find themselves in. The series is quirky and funny and made me laugh on several occasions. Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-90981139407581723442013-07-19T09:07:00.001-04:002013-07-20T18:20:14.366-04:00Loveless, Omnibus 1<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781421549903" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2bbKGlrJglQ/UehMKoJXvMI/AAAAAAAAFSk/S_ctOef-2YA/s200/Loveless1.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>Creator: Yun Kouga</b><br />U.S. publisher: Viz Media<br />ISBN: 9781421549903<br />Released: October 2012<br />Original release: 2002-2003<br /><br />I initially read Yun Kouga's manga series <i>Loveless</i> after it was released in English by Tokyopop. I was surprised by how much I liked it, finding the story to be oddly compelling and engrossing if occasionally confusing. Tokyopop only released the first eight volumes of the ongoing series and so I was exceedingly happy when Viz Media rescued the license. The quality of Viz's release is much better than Tokyopop's, as well. Viz re-released the first eight volumes as two-volume omnibuses based on the special limited edition of <i>Loveless</i> published in Japan. The first omnibus, released in 2012, collects the first two volumes of <i>Loveless</i> as well as additional material previously unavailable in English. In Japan, the contents were released between 2002 and 2003. Since <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/mmf-archive/manga-moveable-feast-yun-kouga-archive/">July 2013's Manga Moveable Feast</a> focused on Yun Kouga and her work, it was the perfect opportunity for me to revisit <i>Loveless</i>.<br /><br />Ritsuka Aoyagi is a new student at Yano Jonan Elementary School. Though he can't be bothered with his classmates, the withdrawn sixth grader does his best to at least put up a good front for his teachers. At such a young age, Ritsuka has already been through a lot. His older brother Seimei, who he adored, was brutally murdered and he suffers from physical, mental, and emotional abuse at the hands of his mother. Even Ritsuka's past is obscured--his memories and personality from two years ago are lost, the amnesia brought on by what is assumed to be some sort of trauma. Ritsuka is alone and has nothing that he can claim as his own until he is approached by Soubi Agatsuma, a college student with a mysterious connection to Seimei. For never having met before, Soubi shows an unexpected and disconcerting level of devotion and affection towards Ritsuka, something the younger boy desperately needs but is hesitant to accept.<br /><br />One of the most peculiar things about <i>Loveless</i> is apparent within the first few pages: many characters have cat ears and tails. Later it is revealed that this is a physical sign that those individuals haven't had sex. It's an admittedly strange addition to the manga but Kouga uses it quite well. The presence or absence of ears and tails impacts characters' interactions and relationships, how they think about and act towards one another. The cat ears and tails also serve another purpose in <i>Loveless</i>, allowing many of Kouga's characters to be particularly expressive. Tails bush out when they're startled; ears fold back when they're upset or perk up when they're attentive. Actually, in general I find Kouga's artwork to be beautifully expressive and emotive. It creates a mood and atmosphere that captures the story's darkness, intimacy, and barely subdued sexuality exceptionally well without being overwhelmingly oppressive.<br /><br />The beginning of <i>Loveless</i> is a story of intense yearning and loneliness with characters who have been broken, damaged, and twisted. But even when they despair they still cling to hope. Ritsuka has trouble accepting himself and difficulty trusting others; the attention he receives from Soubi is both welcomed and feared. <i>Loveless</i> is also a story about the power of words. In part because of his association with Soubi, Ritsuka is pulled into a world where battles are waged with words and spells are cast that can cause considerable pain and physical damage. Whether he realizes it or not, Ritsuka is already quite familiar with the even more insidious psychological agony caused by words uttered in everyday contexts--such as when his mother continually denies that he is even her son. The first omnibus of <i>Loveless</i> raises more questions than it provides answers, but it does establish an intriguing tale and characters. Even having read it before, I still find <i>Loveless</i> to be a strangely enthralling and compelling manga.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-30587294430578498532013-07-17T09:39:00.001-04:002013-08-14T11:16:49.636-04:00Blade of the Immortal, Volume 23: Scarlet Swords<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781595826718" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RC988FH4xTE/UeWojdxKrGI/AAAAAAAAFRg/Cii9ijMPcv8/s200/BladeImmortal23.jpg" width="138" /></a><b>Creator: Hiroaki Samura</b><br />U.S. publisher: Dark Horse<br />ISBN: 9781595826718<br />Released: January 2011<br />Original release: 2007<br />Awards: Eisner Award, Japan Media Arts Award<br /><br /><i>Scarlet Swords</i> is the twenty-third volume in the English-language release of Hiroaki Samura's manga series <i>Blade of the Immortal</i>. Published in 2011 by Dark Horse Comics, <i>Scarlet Swords</i> collects the same material as the twenty-second volume in the original Japanese edition of the series, which was released in 2007. Following <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/06/blade-of-immortal-volume-22-footsteps.html"><i>Footsteps</i></a>, <i>Scarlet Swords</i> is an early volume in the fifth and final major story arc in <i>Blade of the Immortal</i>. <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> was one of the first manga series that I began reading and collecting and it continues to be one of my personal favorites. The series has been well received both in Japan and abroad. In 1998 <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> earned Samura a Japan Media Arts Award. The series went on to win an Eisner Award in 2000 and has been the recipient of several other honors since then as well.<br /><br />Time is quickly running out for Habaki Kagimura and the Rokki-dan. Anotsu Kagehisa and the Ittō-ryū have been banished from Edō and must leave the city within days else forfeit their lives. Should the Ittō-ryū make their escape, Kagimura and the Rokki-dan will lose their lives instead. Kagimura has been ordered to commit seppuku in atonement for the debacles surrounding his previous attempts to annihilate the Ittō-ryū and his failed investigation into immortality. The Rokki-dan are a group of death row felons who have been given a chance to redeem themselves if they can wipe out the Ittō-ryū and its leader, but they have been forbidden to leave the city; they must find and destroy the Ittō-ryū before the rogue sword school leaves Edō. One thing is certain: Anotsu and the Ittō-ryū will not make it easy for them.<br /><br /><i>Scarlet Swords</i> is a volume of journeys and farewells. The Rokki-dan is desperate in its pursuit of the members of the Ittō-ryū, resorting to torture and other dubious means in the search for clues as to the group's whereabouts. The Ittō-ryū are prepared for discovery and have even planned for it; perhaps in part due to the exceptional leadership of Anotsu, the Ittō-ryū frequently shows extraordinary forethought. And the Rokki-dan isn't the only group that the Ittō-ryū needs to worry about--Rin and Manji are still in pursuit of revenge and some of the members of the disbanded Mugai-ryū, the predecessors of the Rokki-dan, are ready to support Kagimura. As the Ittō-ryū swordsmen prepare to leave Edō for the port in Hitachi, so do those who would hunt them down. Goodbyes are said and in some cases incredible sacrifices are made. The journey to Hitachi will be an eventful one for all who are involved.<br /><br />As Anotsu points out to Rin early on in <i>Scarlet Swords</i>, only two active members of the Ittō-ryū remain from when her parents were brutally killed two years ago--Anotsu himself and his current second-in-command Magatsu Taito. Rin's relationship with Anotsu has several complicating factors and she has even made friends with some of the newer Ittō-ryū members, but she still hasn't forgiven the deaths of her parents nor does she approve of the Ittō-ryū's methods. In the beginning of <i>Blade of the Immortal</i>, the Ittō-ryū was clearly set up as villainous, but as the manga progresses the morality is muddled. The sword school may be extreme, but its members maintain their own sense of honor as they fight against society's injustices. I appreciate the development of the Ittō-ryū in <i>Blade of the Immortal</i> and look forward to seeing how the group continues to change and evolve in the next volume, <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/08/blade-of-immortal-volume-24-massacre.html"><i>Massacre</i></a>.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-3889866927387449232013-07-15T09:26:00.002-04:002013-07-15T09:27:50.208-04:00My Week in Manga: July 8-July 14, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />Last week I posted two reviews. The first was for <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-twelve-kingdoms-volume-3-vast.html"><i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i></a>, the third novel in Fuyumi Ono's fantasy series <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i>. I've really been enjoying reading <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i> and this volume was no exception. I also reviewed Jen Lee Quick's <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/offbeat-volume-1.html"><i>Off*Beat, Volume 1</i></a>. Originally published by Tokyopop, the recently established Chromatic Press has rescued the series and I couldn't be happier. The new Chromatic editions also include some additional bonus content as well.<br /><br />Elsewhere online: Xavier Guilbert has published his <a href="http://www.du9.org/en/entretien/matsumoto-taiyou/">interview with Taiyo Matsumoto</a> from the 2013 Toronto Comic Arts Festival. The most recent episode of the Comic Books Are Burning In Hell podcast <span id="goog_230837707"></span><a href="http://www.factualopinion.com/the_factual_opinion/2013/06/the-suehiro-maurocast.html">focuses on Suehiro Maruo</a>. Kodansha Comics is <a href="http://kodanshacomics.com/ebooks">offering two digital samplers</a> containing the complete first chapters of many of its series. The <i>Real</i> sampler collects chapters from Kodansha's "real-life" manga: <i>Arisa</i>, <i>Bloody Monday</i>, <i>Danza</i>, <i>Genshiken</i>, <i>Genshiken: Second Season</i>, <i>I Am Here</i>, <i>Kitchen Princess</i>, <i>Missions of Love</i>, and <i>Vinland Saga</i>. The <i>Unreal</i> sampler includes chapters from Kodansha's fantasy, science fiction, and supernatural series: <i>@ Full Moon</i>, <i>Attack on Titan</i>, <i>Cage of Eden</i>, <i>Fairy Tail</i>, <i>Mardock Scramble</i>, <i>Ninja Girls</i>, <i>No. 6</i>, <i>Sankarea: Undying Love</i>, and <i>Until the Full Moon</i>.<br /><br />Finally, this week is the <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/mmf-archive/manga-moveable-feast-yun-kouga-archive/">Yun Kouga Manga Moveable Feast</a>! Melinda Beasi of Manga Bookshelf is hosting this round and has already posted a <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/40854/mmf-introduction-to-yun-kouga/">marvelous introduction</a>. For my contribution to the Feast I'll be reviewing the first <i>Loveless</i> omnibus later this week. <i>Loveless</i> was originally published in English by Tokyopop, but Viz Media rescued the license last year (which made me very happy.) Although I enjoy <i>Loveless</i>, I haven't actually read any of Kouga's other manga. I look forward to seeing what everyone else has to say about her work.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span> <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nMXYsFtU784/UdiLGZd9jbI/AAAAAAAAFPk/j6v5DETs1KE/s1600/DogCat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nMXYsFtU784/UdiLGZd9jbI/AAAAAAAAFPk/j6v5DETs1KE/s200/DogCat1.jpg" width="138" /></a><a href="http://www.digitalmanga.com/books/?author=257"><i>Dog X Cat</i></a>, Volumes 1-3 by Yoshimi Amasaki. Junya and Atsu have been friends since they were young. They're in college now and their friendship becomes a little more complicated when Junya lets it slip that he's actually in love with Atsu. <i>Dog X Cat</i> might not have the most original plot--I've seen the friends becoming lovers storyline many a time--but the two young men have a charming relationship with each other and a lot of sex. (<i>Dog X Cat</i> is part of Digital Manga's more explicit 801 imprint, after all.) Some chapters are told from Junya's perspective while others are from Atsu's. It's nice to see both sides of their story. <i>Dog X Cat</i> is an ongoing series; the fourth volume is scheduled to be released in English in 2014.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781612621197" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVOvtKd1bf0/UdiLvOvPw4I/AAAAAAAAFPs/Foc51jlbeJ8/s200/MardockScramble5.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/search/search.php?x=0&amp;y=0&amp;title_subtitle_auth=mardock+scramble"><i>Mardock Scramble</i></a>, Volumes 5-7 by Yoshitoki Oima. I've read Tow Ubukata's original <i>Mardock Scramble</i>, but somehow managed to forget how pivotal child and sexual abuse was to the plot. The manga handles it fairly well and hasn't turned it into something titillating. One thing that I didn't forget from the novels was the lengthy casino scene. In particular, nearly two hundred pages worth of Blackjack which sorely tried my patience. Although some of the finer details and plot complications are glossed over in Oima's adaptation, I much preferred reading the two volumes of manga covering the same material. This left one volume for Oima to bring everything to a quickly paced, action-packed close. For the most part, Oima's interpretation of <i>Mardock Scramble</i> largely succeeds.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781569317389" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnz1Ch0ZjEk/UdiMWc4sUwI/AAAAAAAAFP0/cEH6rlnaeXw/s200/No5-1.jpg" width="142" /></a><b><i>No. 5</i></b>, Volumes 1-2 by Taiyo Matsumoto. Only two volumes of <i>No. 5 </i>were ever released in English in print. However, the entire series is now <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/no.5-taiyo-matsumoto-ikki/id372554338?mt=8">available digitally</a> (on a platform I can't use). I've come to love Matsumoto's work in general and I particularly enjoy <i>No. 5</i>. The story follows Number Five, a member of the Rainbow Council of the International Peackeeping Forces, a small group of people with superhuman abilities. He's fallen in love and gone rogue and now his teammates must hunt him down. While Number One and the rest of the Rainbow Council try to maintain control of the situation, there are others who are making the argument that the group is obviously dangerous and should no longer exist.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2LlvarMl9Kc/UMUMXxi72QI/AAAAAAAADqA/HBFGBqM0sIg/s1600/BlackLagoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2LlvarMl9Kc/UMUMXxi72QI/AAAAAAAADqA/HBFGBqM0sIg/s200/BlackLagoon.jpg" width="156" /></a><a href="http://www.funimation.com/black-lagoon"><i>Black Lagoon</i></a>, Episodes 13-24 directed by Sunao Katabuchi. Although I still enjoyed the second half of <i>Black Lagoon</i> anime, for some reason that I can't identify I didn't like it quite as much as the first. The anime follows the manga fairly closely, but takes a few of its own liberties while keeping the same tone as the original. I do think that I still prefer the manga slightly more than the anime, but the anime is entertaining as well. Additionally, the action is a little clearer and easier to follow in the anime. And I continue to be impressed by the sound design. The <i>Black Lagoon</i> anime tends to be violent and bloody and even the protagonists aren't really "good guys." They can be just as vicious as the other people they come up against.&nbsp; Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-64352097342107153862013-07-12T10:14:00.000-04:002013-07-12T10:14:07.690-04:00Off*Beat, Volume 1<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9780991946600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pIPjF5A_wps/Ud8Q4P1XGqI/AAAAAAAAFQg/Lja3M2sqQbM/s200/OffBeat1.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>Creator: Jen Lee Quick</b><br />Publisher: Chromatic Press<br />ISBN: 9780991946600<br />Released: May 2013<br />Original release: 2005<br /><br /><i>Off*Beat</i> had its start as a script written by Jen Lee Quick in 2002. She would later begin developing the story into a three-volume graphic novel series for Tokyopop in 2004 as part of its line of original English-language manga. Unfortunately, only the first two volumes of the series were ever released (the first in 2005 and the second in 2006) and <i>Off*Beat</i> subsequently went out of print. I loved <i>Off*Beat</i> and was disappointed that I and other fans would never get the chance to read the series' ending. But then along comes Chromatic Press in 2013, re-releasing the first two volumes of <i>Off*Beat</i> with additional bonus content and with plans to publish the long-awaited third volume. I was absolutely thrilled at the news. Along with <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/04/random-musings-tokyo-demons.html"><i>Tokyo Demons</i></a>, one of my more recent literary obsessions, <i>Off*Beat</i> is one of Chromatic Press' flagship titles. I couldn't be happier that it is now back in print.<br /><br />Saturday, September 25, 2004. In the middle of the night, Colin Stephens moves into the duplex across the street from Tory Blake. Nearly a year later, Tory has somehow convinced his mother to allow him to enroll in St. Peter's High School under the guise of needing more intellectual stimulation than his public school is able to provide. Which is true, but more importantly St. Peter's is the same school that Colin attends. Tory is so curious and bored that his interest in his mysterious new neighbor has become an obsession. Up until now, he has only been able to observe Colin from a distance; attending St. Peter's will allow him to get to know Colin better in person. At least that was the plan. It turns out Colin isn't very easy to make friends with and he doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with anyone. Tory, however, is determined to satisfy his curiosity and isn't about to give up.<br /><br />It's more by chance than anything else that Tory hasn't yet managed to get into any serious trouble by spying on his neighbors. He doesn't mean any harm, but his actions certainly aren't something to be condoned. But even considering his dubious hobby, I do like Tory quite a bit. He's clever and delightfully flippant. (Actually, in general the dialogue in <i>Off*Beat</i> is great; Quick has a marvelous sense of humor that comes through in the work.) Granted, Tory may be a little too smart for his own good, and prone to letting his imagination run away with him, and his common sense trails far behind his book learning, but I happen to find those characteristics to be particularly endearing in him. I can also empathize with Tory because of them, having been similarly awkward and socially inept in high school myself. <br /><br />The first volume of <i>Off*Beat</i> proceeds at a leisurely pace. The mystery surrounding Colin slowly builds as Tory conducts his investigation. At first it seems that everything is in Tory's head, but then he actually does come across evidence that Colin is involved in some sort of secret project. At this point in <i>Off*Beat</i> very little is known about Colin--readers' knowledge is limited to whatever Tory has so far been able to discover. Tory's intense curiosity is also contagious; it's easy to be drawn to Colin and want to learn more about him. In the beginning Colin is very prickly and withdrawn, but by the end of <i>Off*Beat, Volume 1</i> he has started to open up a little to Tory. It's an intriguing and slightly awkward relationship and one of my favorite things about <i>Off*Beat</i>. I'm incredibly glad that the comic is back in print; I'm looking forward to reading its conclusion.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-38308427806575225402013-07-10T09:10:00.001-04:002013-07-10T14:02:23.628-04:00The Twelve Kingdoms, Volume 3: The Vast Spread of the Seas<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781427802590" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HqvZfLvIAcI/UdxvXWP2n9I/AAAAAAAAFQQ/FZp5gCAOFWk/s200/TwelveKingdoms3.jpg" width="142" /></a><b>Author: Fuyumi Ono<br />Illustrator: Akihiro Yamada</b><br />Translator: Alexander O. Smith and Elye J. Alexander<br />U.S. Publisher: Tokyopop<br />ISBN: 9781427802590 <br />Released: November 2009<br />Original release: 1994<br /><br /><i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> is the third book in Fuyumi Ono's series of fantasy light novels <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i>. In Japan the first two novels of the series were each released in two parts, technically making <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i>, published in 1994, the fifth volume of <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i>. However, in the English-language edition of the series <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> is the third volume. Tokyopop first released Alexander O. Smith and Elye J. Alexander's English translation of the novel early on in 2009 as a hardcover. Later that year it was released again in a paperback edition. Tokyopop's release of <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> retains the illustrations by Akihiro Yamada. I quite enjoyed the first two books in <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i>, so I was looking forward to reading <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i>.<br /><br />The kingdom of En has fallen upon difficult times. The previous king drove the country to ruin and many of its people either died or fled during his vicious reign. Much of En became a wasteland and demons prowled the wilds. At first Shoryu, En's new king divinely appointed by the kingdom's kirin Rokuta, gives En's people hope for a better life. But much to the dismay of his ministers, it soon becomes clear that Shoryu would rather galavant about the country than focus on the kingdom's administration. Many of those in the provincial governments are also frustrated by Shoryu's seeming lack of motivation and the slow restoration of En. Atsuyu, the acting regent of the province of Gen, plans to take matters into his own hands if the king continues to refuse to address En's problems. With civil war brewing, Shoryu will be forced to abandon his inscrutable style of rule if he is to put an end to the rebellion and maintain the peace. But even then his decisions continue to confound those that serve him.<br /><br />Although <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> is the third novel in <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i>, chronologically it takes place before the first two and isn't directly related plot-wise. However, the volume does focus on Shoryu and Rokuta who have played small but incredibly important roles in both <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2011/06/twelve-kingdoms-volume-1-sea-of-shadow.html"><i>Sea of Shadow</i></a> and <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-twelve-kingdoms-volume-2-sea-of-wind.html"><i>Sea of Wind</i></a>. Reading the first two books does provide a little more insight into Shoryu and Rokuta's characters and what people think of them, but for the most part <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> stands on its own. It explores their pasts, both before and after their association with En, as well as a critical period early in Shoryu's reign as the king. Because I have read the previous volumes in <i>The Twelve Kingdoms</i> I knew how some of the events in <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> would ultimately end, but it was still very interesting to see how they played out and how Shoryu dealt with them.<br /><br />A large part of <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i> delves into court politics and intrigue. Atsuyu's viewpoints are considered to be heretical and even dangerous, but his challenging of a system of authority that has failed its people is understandable and he raises some very legitimate concerns. Unfortunately, his criticisms are never fully addressed in <i>The Vast Spread of the Seas</i>. What is established is that Shoryu is a much keener ruler than he lets on and that he cares about his people immensely. Actions that seem to make no sense actually have significant purpose. He doesn't allow himself to be limited or constrained by what is expected of him as a king; Shoryu is incredibly creative and shrewed in his administration of the kingdom and very few people actually realize it. It's no wonder that he later becomes so admired and respected as a ruler despite his quirks and unorthodoxy.Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-31944925194846387692013-07-08T08:49:00.001-04:002013-07-08T08:52:12.003-04:00My Week in Manga: July 1-July 7, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My News and Reviews</b></span><br /><br />Well, I made it back from the American Library Association conference in Chicago and then promptly left to visit my family in Chicago for a few days. I was busy for most of June and the first part of July traveling from one place to another, so I'm looking forward to staying put for a little while. Even though I was all over the place last week, I did post a few things here at Experiments in Manga. First up was the announcement of the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/manga-giveaway-dystopian-duo-winner.html">Dystopian Duo Winner</a>. The post also includes a select list of dystopian manga that has been licensed in English. Next up was the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/bookshelf-overload-june-2013.html">Bookshelf Overload for June</a>. And finally, I reviewed <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/sankarea-undying-love-volume-1.html"><i>Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 1</i></a> by Mitsuru Hattori, which is a weird romantic comedy and a rather unusual take on zombies. Coming next week is July's Manga Moveable Feast which will feature the works of Yun Kouga. Melinda has posted the <a href="http://mangabookshelf.com/40713/yun-kouga-mmf-call-for-participation/">call for participation</a> with more information over at Manga Bookshelf. For my contribution to the Feast, I plan on reviewing the first omnibus volume in Viz Media's new release of <i>Loveless</i>. <br /><br />Because I've been traveling I'm sure that I've missed all sorts of news, but I did manage to catch a few things. <i>Sparkler Monthly</i>, the digital multimedia magazine from Chromatic Press, has <a href="http://sparklermonthly.com/">launched its website</a>. Tokyopop and Rightstuf <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-05/right-stuf/tokyopop-to-release-hetalia-volumes-4-5-this-winter">will be releasing the fourth and fifth volumes</a> of Hidekaz Himaruya's <i>Hetalia</i> manga this year. <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-04/digital-manga-tezuka-pro-team-up-to-release-entire-tezuka-library-in-n-america">Digital Manga is teaming up with Tezuka Pro</a> to publish all of Osamu Tezuka's manga in English, focusing on digital releases with the possibility of some print releases. Vertical announced its <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-04/vertical-adds-moyoco-anno-insufficient-direction-manga">licensing of Moyoco Anno's autobiographical manga</a> <i>Insufficient Direction</i>, which focuses on the mangaka's relationship with her husband Hideaki Anno (of <i>Neon Genesis Evangelion</i> fame.) Earlier this year I hosted the <a href="http://experimentsinmanga.blogspot.com/2013/01/moyoco-anno-manga-moveable-feast-archive.html">Moyoco Anno Manga Moveable Feast</a>, so I'm particularly excited for this license. Also, Viz made <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-07/viz-media-adds-deadman-wonderland-gangsta-manga">quite a few announcements</a>, including the fact that it will be bringing Rumiko Takahashi's manga <i>Ranma 1/2</i> back into print in an unflipped, omnibus edition. I already own the entire series and probably won't be double-dipping, but it's exciting nonetheless. If I've missed any other recent manga news that you think I shouldn't overlook, please do let me know!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick Takes</b></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781427802187" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6NqXbPtEks/UcyljSztLPI/AAAAAAAAFOk/kge_YashkwU/s200/JunjoRomantica7.jpg" width="132" /></a><b><i>Junjo Romantica</i></b>, Volume 7-12 by Shungiku Nakamura. In Japan, <i>Junjo Romantica </i>is currently an ongoing series. However, only the first twelve volumes were released in English. My opinion of the series hasn't really changed much since the first six volumes. My favorite couple/story by far is still Egoist. Unfortunately, they don't make as many appearances as I would like in these volumes. I've grown weary of the Romantica pairing--despite the progression in the plot, the characters barely see any development and I frequently feel that I'm reading the same material over and over. I do find <i>Junjo Romantica</i> amusing from time to time, but I'm not nearly as enamored with the series as many other people seem to be.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781935429760" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K6la9ye_IDw/Ucyma8iBYyI/AAAAAAAAFOs/Fy73umUyVDg/s200/SailorMoon3.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/search/search.php?x=0&amp;y=0&amp;title_subtitle_auth=sailor+moon"><i>Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon</i></a>, Volumes 3-4 by Naoko Takeuchi. These two volumes of <i>Sailor Moon</i> close one story arc (The Dark Kingdom Arc) and begin another (The Black Moon Arc). Takeuchi tends to move things along pretty quickly. As a result, it can occasionally be a little difficult to follow the story. Often, things just happen because they need to happen and they aren't always fully explained. Sometimes, the story elements don't even make much sense. But even so, I do find <i>Sailor Moon</i> to be an enjoyable manga. I particularly like that it's the young women in the series who are so powerful and that while they're strong they're not perfect. I've seen the story of the prince saving the princess so many times that it's wonderfully refreshing to see their positions switched. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781935654766" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ognjmfrGae0/UccUhAIVpzI/AAAAAAAAFNk/Z5jllC2P3U8/s200/Utsubora.jpg" width="146" /></a><a href="http://www.vertical-inc.com/books/utsubora.html"><i>Utsubora: The Story of a Novelist</i></a> by Asumiko Nakamura. I wasn't sure what to expect from <i>Utsubora</i>, but the manga is marvelous. Both the artwork and the story are just a little disconcerting and unsettling. <i>Utsubora</i> is layered, dark, arresting, and sensual. I loved it. The manga begins with a young woman plummeting from a building to her death. Only two people are in her cell phone's contact list: the famed author Shun Mizorogi and a woman claiming to be her twin sister. From there the story twists and turns, the apparent suicide somehow connected to Mizorogi's most recent work. I sincerely hope that <i>Utsubora</i> does well; I would love to see more of Nakamura's manga available in English. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ryTxVlppIKM/UcynLBsYghI/AAAAAAAAFO4/IwFsXlgbAic/s283/ParadiseKiss1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ryTxVlppIKM/UcynLBsYghI/AAAAAAAAFO4/IwFsXlgbAic/s200/ParadiseKiss1.jpg" width="141" /></a><b><i>Paradise Kiss</i></b> directed by Osamu Kobayashi. The <i>Paradise Kiss </i>anime is a fairly straightforward and trimmed adaptation of Ai Yazawa's original manga. Some of the story's depth is missing and some of the details have been glossed over, but all of the most important aspects of the plot and character development are successfully included within twelve episodes. Although I do prefer the manga and found it to be more emotionally persuasive, overall the anime is really quite excellent. Unfortunately, the Region 1 DVDs are currently out of print and a little difficult to track down, but they're definitely worth keeping an eye out for. The animation in <i>Paradise Kiss</i> is consistently great and the character designs are lovely--the eyes in particular are captivating. Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8077645082299949444.post-8146280642242577882013-07-07T09:55:00.000-04:002013-07-07T09:55:19.840-04:00Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 1<a href="http://www.librarything.com/isbn/9781612623511" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U6Gf4l91ILA/UdiJj_VCdKI/AAAAAAAAFPU/sW3GJjZEDAA/s200/Sankarea1.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>Creator: Mitsuru Hattori</b><br />U.S. publisher: Kodansha<br />ISBN: 9781612623511<br />Released: June 2013<br />Original release: 2010<br /><br />Mitsuru Hattori's <i>Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 1</i> was originally published in Japan in 2000. The manga was licensed in English by Kodansha Comics and released in 2013. The English release caused a small amount of controversy among some fans of the series as Kodansha used a significantly different cover than was used for the original Japanese edition. Personally, I like the English cover which emphasizes the series' horror and zombie elements, downplaying the romantic comedy aspects. Granted, this does mean that unsuspecting readers unfamiliar with <i>Sankarea</i> may be surprised by the series' less serious nature and fanservice. To be honest, I wasn't planning on reading <i>Sankarea</i>; lately, I've become a little burned out on zombie fiction, even if the manga promised to be an atypical take on the subgenre. But when a review copy of the first volume unexpectedly showed up on my doorstep, I figured I may as well give <i>Sankarea</i> a try. <br /><br />Furuya Chihiro is obsessed with zombies. In fact, he loves them. When his beloved pet cat Bub is hit by a car, he decides to try to reanimate the corpse by following the instructions in an obscure tome he found. Unfortunately, the book is falling apart and difficult to read; Chihiro's attempts at bringing Bub back to life have all ended in failure. He's about to give up when he meets Sanka Rea, the daughter of a prominent local family who insists on helping him. She also makes him promise to bring her back as a zombie should she ever die. It's an odd request, but Rea feels trapped in a life where she is expected to be the perfect daughter. Chihiro and Rea develop an odd sort of friendship as they try to revive Bub, but it becomes even stranger when it looks like Chihiro might actually need to make good on his promise to her. He might not have much interest in the living, but the undead are another matter entirely.<br /><br /><i>Sankarea</i> leans more towards dark romantic comedy than it does towards horror. The creepiest part of the manga actually isn't dead cats or Chihiro's zombie fetish, it's Rea's over-controlling and abusive father. Fortunately, their relationship doesn't seem to be played for laughs. It does, however, serve as the catalyst for Rea's despair and her desired and ultimate transformation. Wanting to become a zombie is an absurd way to escape her circumstances, which is where some of the humor in <i>Sankarea</i> comes from even if Rea's situation isnt' all that funny in and of itself. Chihiro, too, is rather absurd and a bit of a space case. Although he admits what he's doing is shady at best, it becomes very clear that he hasn't thoroughly considered all of the implications of bringing someone or something back from the dead. Since he's such a zombie aficionado, I would think he would be a bit more concerned, but it doesn't seem that he has put much thought into what would happen should he actually succeed. But this, too, is a source of amusement. <br /><br />It's probably not too surprising, but Chihiro and Rea are easily the most interesting characters in <i>Sankarea</i>, mostly because they are a bit odd and just a little off from what would be considered normal. (The undead little Bub is pretty great, too, though.) Chihiro's older cousin Ranko does at least share a passing interest in zombies with him, but after only one volume it seems that she's included in the series to provide a little extra fanservice more than anything else. Yasutaka and Mogi, two of Chihiro's friends and classmates, haven't gotten to do much yet either except be astounded at how their weirdo buddy somehow manages to make friends with all these cute girls and amazed that it hasn't occurred to him to care. <i>Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 1</i> is an unusual take on zombies with a few nods to some of the classics. It has yet to be seen just how much trouble Chihiro's abnormal but earnest proclivities will get him in. I'll admit, I actually am a little curious to find out.<br /><br /><br /><i>Thank you to Kodansha for providing a copy of </i>Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 1<i> for review.</i> Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05955521631250276796noreply@blogger.com